I want her
by Boriqua-chan
Summary: I heard a girly gasp, a manly gasp of surprise, and Sasuke's infamous grunt. My smile slipped off my face when the blade refused to go through. A simple blunk sounded and a blue chakra circle echoed to the edge of the glass.  NOW COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

My words haunt me; haunt me to the point of pain. _'Thank you,' _I told her. She yells her love for me and all I can muster is_ 'thank you'_?! What kind of person— no, what kind of teammate — am I? A monster. That's the word the dobe would use.

Why would my words still bother me, after four years!? Idiotic feelings. Why feel for _her _ of all people? That pinkette can care for herself. Damn, why don't I believe myself?

'_**Because she can't,'**_my inner put in. _**'You— we — know it. We can't stand not knowing how she's been. Because she proved to us time and again that she really did love us.'**_

I growled. Inners always have to be right, don't they?

Still, even if I hated the fact that reason was still in me, I did wonder how she was. Did her deep green eyes get any deeper? Did her pink hair grow white, like that of her father? Did her voice, always sweet and gentle, change? I hope not.

Damn! I still remember her. I must cut off all ties to anyone, I must!

"…Dismissed!" Orochimaru said, snapping me out of my memeries.

I missed all the orders, just because someone thanked me! Hn…

I walked out of the bleak, colorless office. Someone, more of a thing, grabbed at my arm. I waved it off.

"Sasuke-kun…" Karin whined.

The way she said it reminded me of _her_. But _she_ knew her place. Want as she might, she knew not to touch me. And when she did, it was save me from myself.

"Get off," I growled, turning to Suigetsu. "Suigetsu, what did Orochimaru say?"

The sea-blue headed man looked at me, a shocked expression adoring his face. "He said we were to go to Kohona. Kidnap a medical ninja. He didn't tell us her name; just that she had pink hair, green eyes and was known as 'The Village Blossom.'"

The Village Blossom… That can't be _her_, can it? But it was. I knew it. Kakashi, Naruto and even Tsunade called her that. Why would the snake want her?

My body froze as realized what Orochimaru wanted.

Team Hebi stopped with me. Only Juugo knew what was wrong— violent as he may be, he was sensitive.

"You know her," he said. It was more of a statement then a question, but I answered anyway.

"Yes…. A teammate… a very good one," a humorless chuckle escaped my lips. "She could never save herself; I would always have to do it for her. I know her weak points, she shouldn't be hard to get."

I said it because I wanted her near me. Idiotic emotions. Still, no matter how stupid, I would protect her.

I knew why: I lost her, and I want her back….

_**(Kohona, Sakura's POV)**_

Kami-sama, why am I not surprised? Naruto's going to be a daddy! Hinata's baby's daddy! Thank Kami he got the hint! I mean after more than five years, you'd think the hint would've been taken long ago! But, then again, it was Naruto. The same baka who still thinks I can't care for myself.

Hinata was blushing furiously and her hands were placed protectively over her abdomen. Naruto, against his nature, was smiling and blushing lightly. He hadn't spoken a word since he told me, his personal doctor, about the pregnancy. Unlike either of them, I was glowing.

I feel of brand new chakra was wonderful and refreshing. It was happy, that I could tell. The color of it felt yellow, so it would be a giddy little thing.

I smiled. "Hinata, you need your rest, c'mon, let's go," I said. It was almost midnight.

HInata nodded shyly and stood, her hands never leaving her belly. Her navy hair covered her milky eyes, but she didn't move her hands. It seemed to me that she feared that if she moved her hands, the baby would disappear.

I dragged her hair off her eyes and stood. Naruto stood behind, gently grabbing Hinata's waist and putting his arm over my shoulders.

"Sakura-chan," Naruto spoke, "where are you going after taking us home?"

"I was planning on working the night shift at the hospital." I mumbled.

For the past four years, there was always one day I could never sleep. Hate it as I do, everyone in the village knew why. Sasuke left today, four years ago, at midnight. Kami, I loathe remembering everything. I did—do—love him. Why did I have to be the one to fall for him? Because I love him, not his looks. Detached as he wanted to seem, I could see past it. Sasuke wasn't mean, just depressed; he wasn't uncaring, he just feared love. I understood.

"Oh," Naruto sighed. "You need to get over that teme…"

I sighed. "I know, I know."

The rest of the walk was quite, even if the apartment was only ten feet away. At the door I hugged both Hinata and Naruto and started to make my way to the second biggest building in Kohona.

Receptionist Shino wouldn't be surprised. She knew that on this day, every year, I would work the night shift. But she didn't know why. She's only ten, Tsunade's neice, and too young to remember the Uchiha clan. People say she's too young to work at a hospital but she's not.

Tsunade says I surpassed her in the medical training, but I know she's wrong. She has one thing I'm still missing—experience. Sure I know more about the medicine then her but….

Ah, well. The hospital was right up the street.

_**(Kohona gate, Sasuke's POV)**_

Wow… the gate's not even guarded well. Two sleeping ANBU were placed on the sides of the red gate, Wow…

I told my team to stay in the forest and wait, that this wouldn't be hard. Seeing these two lazy asses made me twice as sure. Hn… If I felt like it, I would slice them, but I didn't.

My eyes narrowed as I walked into my old 'home.' They didn't narrow in hatred, not this time. My eyes narrowed because I saw the bench I left _her_ on exactly four years ago. Cold and hard was what it looked like. But I could've left her on the ground she stood on.

Farther up the main street were the two biggest building in the small village—the Hokage's office and the hospital. In front of them was a body bathing in the moonlight. Maybe that person knew where _she_ was. The person trudged on, and I ran to him. To most people, I looked like a flash of blue, white and purple.

The closer I got, the more it seemed like I knew the person. The person had curves so it must be a woman. She jumped when I appeared in front of her. I saw her face, and I knew why she looked familiar. It was _her_.

Her hair was still pink, her eyes were the jade I remembered—and tried to forget. She'd grown. A lot. She was still shorter than me, but she'd grown in other ways. She'd developed. Her legs, exposed by the pale pink skirt, were long and creamy. Under the loose medical red shirt she had a chest—a chest that made the shirt not seem so loose.

Her eyes were wide with disbelief. Her plump pink lips moved, "S-Sasuke," they mouthed.

I smirk came to my lips. I knew it must've been evil-looking. She back away, scared. Her eyes said it all.

"Sakura," I hissed in a voice that usually made woman fall at my feet.

Her shocked expression changed. Anger was all over her beautiful, porcelain face. "Why you little…" she yelled, stepping closer in what seemed like a too close distance already. "Four years, Sasuke? Why the hell are you here?! Didn't the ANBU stop you?!"

I bent down to her height so I could stare into her green eyes. My raven bangs swung down to touch her face.

"Yes," I coldly started answering her questions, "for you, and no."

The pinkette blinked multiple times. Her eyes narrowed, she pulled closer to me, anger and misunderstanding in her eyes. "Liar," she said quietly. "Sasuke I never took you for a liar—guess we're all proven wrong some time in our lives." Her voice was still soft and gentle, but the words stung.

"I am not lieing," I hissed through clenched teeth.

She let out a mocking laugh. She was laughing at me! What happened to sweet little Sakura? I like this one better; she was bitter sweet and sassy… Wait, what the hell am I thinking? Stupid hormones…

"Sasuke," her voice was soft and curious, "why are you here?"

My breath hitched, Kami knows I hate repeating myself. "Orochimaru needs you."

"Sasuke, don't lie to me," Sakura said, her voice depressed. She looked into my eyes, shaking her porcelain head. Then, she walked around me, not looking back.

My nostrils faired and I could feel my eyes change color, onyx to red. I grabbed her wrist none too gently and pulled her back to me. Her back slammed into my chest.

"Either you come with me," I said with malice in my voice, "or I take you."

"Go ahead and try," she offered.

I smirked and turned her to see me. She looked me square in the eyes—bad choice Sakura—and fainted. My smirk deepened as I swung her over my shoulder. She weighed no more than a sack if tomatoes!

"My pleasure, blossom, my pleasure."

_**(A/N) This is one of my better stories. Tell me what you think, flames accepted, suggestions as well. And for my long time fans, plz, I need help with 'Back,' .net/s/5789000/1/Back. Help**_


	2. Chapter 2

(Orochimaru's 'house,' Sakura POV)

Ouch. Damn my body hurt. Aches in my lower back, it felt like someone hit my head; my legs were cramped and my arms—wait, why were they tied over my head? And where was I? And to top that off, the thing holding my hands together was rough. The bed under me—if in fact it was a bed—was hard.

What happened? Where am I? Why am I here?

I lifted myself to sit. My sore back pressed against the splintered wood. The place around me was bland and gray. There were only three things in the room—the bed, a dresser and a chair in the darkest corner. Where the hell am I?

"How long was I out?" I wondered aloud to myself.

"A day…" a familiar voice called. It sounded like Sasuke. But that wasn't possible… unless it wasn't a dream.

Where was he? His voice came out of nowhere. I checked the room again. The darkest corner that held a chair also held Sasuke.

I blinked, trying to compose myself. I hadn't seen him in years—not really. I saw him a day ago, but it was so dark I couldn't see anything besides his red eyes.

He came out of the corner with a chair. "You talk in your sleep," he told me as he sat in the chair facing me.

Sasuke sat in a very manly way. Legs swung around the chair, the chair's back facing me, chest pressed up against its back—altogether manly. His chin rested on his forearm and his onyx eyes looked into mine.

And I got it. Uchiha Sasuke was trying to strike a conversation! Was he that starved for human contact?

I smiled. "I know, Kiba said so too."

His face fell for just a second before his composed mask came into play. "Kiba," he asked.

As I yawned, I nodded.

"How?" Sasuke said, not being a man of many words. I knew what he meant.

"ANBU," I yawned, reliving myself of my sleepy mood. "We're one of the teams." Don't want to say too much—like the team numbers.

Sasuke's brow loosened at the simple explanation.

"Sasuke-kun!" came a scratchy voice from somewhere out the black door. I giggled. The way the person said it reminded me of a younger me.

"Who's—" I started, but was cut off.

"Karin, you baka, Sasuke-san's got a pretty girl—no, a sexy woman—in there!"

I blushed at the comment that from came from a voice that was obviously male. The door bust open at my blush, reviling a big hipped red headed woman and a sea-blue haired, shark-toothed man behind her.

"Sasuke-kun, Juugo-baka needs you to calm hid curse!" the woman sang, obviously ignoring me. The word 'curse' caught my attention.

I turned my head to Sasuke, curiosity pulling my pink brows together. "Uchiha," I called, "do you still have it?"

He obviously knew what I meant. The raven haired teen pulled his hand to the white shirt and pulled it down, reviling his curse mark.

I gasped. It'd grown. It covered a fourth of his neck now, instead of an eighth. Unknowingly, I crawled out towards him, pumping chakra into my hands to free myself. Medic training kicked in when I was close enough to see it pulse. I gasped again and slid my head to the crook of his neck.

Sasuke froze—I could tell he was fighting the need to push me off—and the curse mark heated and pulsed faster. I pulled away and grinned.

"It remembers me," I teased. I remembered the exams. The mark activated, I got scared and hugged him, and he calmed down.

"How'd you know it had a memory?" the red-head's voice called. I turned my head to her in time to see the shark-man flick her head.

"She didn't, baka, she was playing!" he yelled at her. It seemed as if she had just given away some vital secret or something.

Sasuke was glaring, as always. His onyx eyes looked as if shooting daggers at the two's core. Although I was the only one to notice the death in his glare, the others noticed it. They shut up instantly. Why would they do that? Even Naruto and I had to take a few threats and glares from him to shut _our_ traps.

"Sasuke-kun," the woman, who I now knew was Karin, said with fear, "Juugo needs you…"

"I'm no medic, get Kaboto," came Sasuke's response.

"Sasuke-kun—" (man did she love to say his name) "—Kaboto-san is on a mission."

Even though I was looking at Karin, I feel Sasuke's smirk. It felt devious and evil. Sasuke wasn't like that. Devious, maybe, but not evil—never evil.

"Hn.... Good thing the second medic is on my bed, isn't it?" he said, dark humor in his voice, masked to everyone but me. I knew him too well for him to hide anything from me.

My green eyes just stared at the Uchiha. I was finally processing what he said. I was to help some dude with his curse mark. First of all, how the hell will I do if I don't even know the dude? Second of all, I didn't even know what the fuck I did when I helped Sasuke with his. And third of all, I'm not betraying Kohona for Orochimaru!

I reached down to my thigh, looking for my kunai. I had to escape! Nothing in the black pouch.

"Sorry beautiful," the blue-headed man said, "Sasuke did a full-body search. No kunai for you."

Did he just say _'full-body'_?! He didn't look in my shirt, did he? No, no. Sasuke has respect, even if just a little.

A shaky breath escaped my lips as I pulled a kunai out of my chest. I gripped it the way any trained ninja would, pumped chakra into my knees and palms, and climbed the wall like a cat. There had to be a window here somewhere—otherwise, Sasuke would be dead.

Sun shinned in from a small corner in the high wall. I knew it! A window! I climbed to it, kunai still in hand. The window was small, but big enough for me to slip through. I smile and lifted the sharp end of the black medal to the glass.

I heard a girly gasp, a manly gasp of surprise, and Sasuke's infamous grunt. My smile slipped off my face when the blade refused to go through. A simple _blunk _sounded and a blue chakra circle echoed to the edge of the glass.

I sighed. Why would I have thought Sasuke, Uchiha Sasuke, would leave anything unguarded? I knew I wouldn't be getting out anytime soon. I crawled up to the ceiling over the bed. Pulling the chakra out of my knees and palms, I fell to the bed. My skirt flew above me reviling my black shorts.

The bed made a clunking sound as I landed. "I don't want to," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. I was getting dizzy, because of the way I landed—with my head on the edge of the end of the bed.

"We can see that, Village Blossom, you tried to escape, remember," the blue-head told me, calling me by my Kohona Village title. "I was there, Karin was there, Sasuke-san was there."

In spite myself, I had to stifle a giggle. He sounded so stupid! Kakashi was right—every team has its Naruto.

"Sasuke-kun, she's being bad!" Karin tattled like a dispirit six year old. "Can Juugo use the curse on her?"

At that last part, I saw a small bit of Sasuke's left shoulder covered in silvers of black. What was that about? Why would the curse mark be activated?

"No," was his only answer.

"Aw…" the read head said in disappointment. "Sasuke-kun, we better get this whore to Juugo. He'll be angry if we don't."

I saw Sasuke's onyx eyes narrow. I let out a humorless laugh. He just couldn't get anywhere without a fan-girl pestering him. First it was Ino, then it was me, now it was her!

Sasuke gave me a glare, but I wouldn't stop giggling. The way the woman looked at me made my laugh full and hearty. He just couldn't get away. The other man sent me a look, a look that said this was my last laugh.

The Uchiha stood, apparently tiered of my unexplained giggle fit, and took a swing to my head. Instinctively, I sat up and grabbed his wrist, just before he hit me.

"Don't," I warned, twisting the rough-ish, soft-ish skin of his wrist. I knew it'd hurt, I saw it in his face.

To most people, it looked like his composed mask stayed put. But to ANBU training—and the fact that I knew him better than most people—helped me spot the little changes. His eyes widened a faction of a millimeter, his top lip curled up a bit and his mouth opened slightly.

I smiled at what I had done—I made an Uchiha feel pain! CHA!—and kneeled up to his height. Seduction missions helped with what I was going to do next. Making sure my breath tickled his lips, I said seductively, "No, Sasuke, we already did that. How about we do something new? Like take you back to Kohona?"

"Huh," Sasuke started, a ting of pain in his voice. "No," with that he gripped the hand on his wrist with his free hand and pulled it off. A smirk overcame his lips as he twisted my arm over my back. I fell to the bed.

"Sasuke," I hissed in pain. He pulled my arm further over my back. It hurt so much my hand fell to the bed to keep myself up.

I knew how this probably looked. What with my ass pressed to _him_, my back arched in pain, and the way I hissed his name it probably looked like _it_.

"Sasuke-kun! Juugo-baka's waiting." For the first time in the short time I was in this dreary room, I was happy to hear that scratchy voice.

Sasuke grunted and let me go. A sigh of relief escaped my lips. Sasuke ignored it and made me stand on his bed by pulling on my hair.

I shuttered. His hands were soft; there was a bit of remorse in his touch, as if he didn't want to be rough.

He dragged me off his bed, making me stand. It hurt a bit—not enough to make me hiss, but just enough to make me do whatever it is they wanted me to.

"Time for beautiful to be shown around her new home," the blue headed man sang as Sasuke retied my hands. This time the cloth was covered in chakra—his chakra.

Sasuke grunted and pushed me through the open door.

* * *

A/N: part 2 hope you like it


	3. Chapter 3

Boriqua-chan: I LOVE ALL MY FANS! Srry about the late updates, I was grounded…

_**(Sasuke POV; Part 3)**_

Damn, she put up a fight. I didn't want to have to pull on that luscious… soft… strawberry hair—wait, what the hell?

I watched as Sakura put her head to Juugo's neck. It was what she did to me just minutes ago. But… something inside me burned when Juugo whispered something to Sakura and she smiled. What the hell? Was he flirting with her?

Ouph. It felt like someone punched me in the gut and I had nothing more than the strength of a twelve year old Sakura.

The pinkette lifted her head away from his neck. Smiling lightly, I saw her press the palms of her hands to his temples.

"Um, Juugo-san, sweetheart," Sakura's soft voice—dripping with worry—said, "there's this massive wall of chakra blocking me. Do you think that might be the problem? It's rather strong."

Juugo's eyes widened as he licked his lips. His golden eyes darkened a shade as bloodlust overcame him; his shoulder went black. He pulled his lips over his suddenly sharp teeth. Then he smiled ruthlessly up at Sakura… and pounced.

Sakura moved at the last second, a kunai in hand. Where'd she get that? Who cares; as long as she can protect herself, I sure didn't.

My heart—for no exact reason—skipped a beat when Juugo pounced again. This time my body reacted. Instead of being frozen to the bone, I jumped in front of her. My hand wrapped around Juugo's neck, slamming him into the wall. My eyes went Sharingan red. His eyes lightened back to gold.

"What-what did—did I kill?" Juugo panicked, fear obvious in his eyes.

I heard Sakura pant and my head turned to her. She lifted herself out of her fighting crouch. Panting she smiled, warily.

"W-wow. Amazing," the pinkette breathed.

"Amazing? Medic, I almost killed you!" Juugo's voice was panicked as he half-yelled the words.

I frownd as if I had done nothing more than save Orochimaru's new… toy… not an old friend. An annoying, loving, loveable, _**annoying**_, old friend. Letting go of Juugo's neck, I kept my face as emotionless as only an Uchiha could.

Sakura's breathing stayed heavy as I walked back to my dark corner of the room. "Juugo-san, yours is the center of his, right?" I heard her ask. "Well, then," she continued, "Sasuke will need to work with us."

At the sound of my name, I turned to them, still in my corner.

"Medic, what _is_ your name?" Juugo wondered.

"Haruno Sakura," she answered, coming closer to the still-confused, orange-headed man. "Juugo-san, do you mind continuing this session tomorrow?" 

"Of course not Sakura-sama," Juugo answered. Sakura smiled at him and then came to me.

"I need to do something. I want to go home, but if I can't—at least for now—I want Juugo-san to feel better," she told me.

"Hn…" I grunted as I started to walk to the room I was in with her.

_**(Sakura POV)**_

Like always, walking with Sasuke was the most interesting thing, _ever_. _NOT!_ He was quite and boring. But he had a personality in there, somewhere—along with his heart. If it wasn't there, he wouldn't still be looking for Itachi, and he wouldn't have saved me in our genin days, and he wouldn't have saved me now.

It's sad how Juugo-san's mark is one he cannot control. A simple wave of chakra through his brain and there goes his sanity. Even if he was Orochimaru's ninja, I would save him. He's just so kind and gentle. He didn't deserve that. He was way too good for that curse. Even if I was being forced to work on him, and I'd have met him, I would volunteer to. Juugo-san's just too good of a person to let down.

'_Creek' _the door sounded as Sasuke opened it.

"Hn…" he grunted, signaling me to go in first.

"Gentleman, as always, I see," I teased. As a genin he, even though it pissed him off, let the fan-girls go first—just so they wouldn't look at his ass!

I walked inside the bland room and smiled. If there was one thing he couldn't resist, it was a chance to keep me quite. "Oh, Sasuke," I sang, having to hold back the suffix.

"Hn…," came his infamous response.

"Juugo-san needs help, right? That's why I'm here, correct?" I asked the obvious. Sasuke nodded his head. "You want Juugo-san to get better, right?"

Sasuke nodded, his face _almost_ expressionless. I could see the answer behind the nod. It was _'I could care less.'_ Fire lighted in my chest. Juggo-san—the gentle giant—was paired in _this_ team? And it was Sasuke who chose him—but _Sasuke _could care less!

I kept my face happy. "Well," I said as though I couldn't read the thought behind the _'expressionless'_ mask, "I'll need to test _you _if Juugo-san is to get better. What with you being the other with curse mark" —I cringed; I still _hate_ that phrase—"I can study your reaction and compare it to Juugo-san's. If you can control yourself, I'll go on from there."

Sasuke gave me his infamous grunt as he nodded. "Go to sleep," he told me after that.

"No, it's only five." Did I really get up that late? Ugh…

"Sleep. Now," the raven headed man said. His voice held well masked impatience—well masked, but not fully.

Even though I was tiered, stubbornness stayed with me. When I was little, I would've done as he ordered, no questions asked, but now, I'm not that little girl anymore, and I'm a hell of a lot more stubborn. But I am tiered. "No, I'm not tiered."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, annoyance now so clear no one could miss it. "Hn... Don't care."

"Just like you don't care about Naruto, or Kakashi, or me. Just like you don't care about Juugo-san, or that Karin woman, or that blue-headed dude. You don't care about anything or anyone besides killing Itachi and reviving your stupid little clan," I sighed. "And that last one no woman in her right mind would help you with."

I sat on the bed, giving up on the conversation, and sighed again. Most of my energy had left me with that small outburst.

"Karin…," Sasuke said, a bit defencivly.

Another sigh escaped my mouth. "Sasuke, do you really want her genes in your children? That annoying voice? Those hideous hips? Do you really want that shapeless body surrounding you every night? Because, considering the set of her body, it would take about three months to get her with child. Do you really want that?" My voice was dead as I listed all the options he had with Karin. My head dropped to the rock hard thing they called a pillow. "No, you don't. I know you too well to even consider that you would."

My eyes fluttered as I prepared for the last and final _'Hn…'_ so I could put my body's clock back in order.

"Hn…" There it came.

"Thought so," I yawned. Not only did my mini-burst/speaking-my-mind deplete my energy, but I had used too much powerful—though small—chakra to be able to stay awake, and it was deciding to show up now. "Did you take some of my chakra?"

"Most of it," Sasuke admitted. Those were the last words I heard before falling into a deep chakra-less sleep.

_**(Next day; 7 A.M. [7H00]; Sakura POV)**_

Oy. There is nothing worse than feeling groggy because of way too much sleep. Boy did my head hurt! But at least my chakra's back to normal—or, at least, normal for me.

Not only did I have too much sleep, but yet another nightmare. I had the same dream almost every night. …But tonight, tonight was different. Just a bit. But it made it that much worse. This time instead of just saying _"Thank you," _and knocking me out, he said _"Thank you…"_ knocked me out, and said, _"…for everything."_ That little bit made the dream even worse.

And sadly, it didn't help that I was kidnapped—ninja-napped—by him. Or that I was sleeping on a bed with his deliciously strong ninja sent—the masculine smell of his sweat and the clean smell of his clothes.

I didn't want his name to come out of my mouth, to escape my lips, but Juugo-san needed me so... "Sasuke, we need to start now." I lifted myself from the huge rock bed. Even I could tell my word came out slurred.

"Hn…" The bed shifted as he lifted his weight off the bed.

"And, infamous Mr. Hn, I need a bath. A medic cannot work in dirty skin." Sill slurred.

"Bathroom's 'cross the hall. Here's the clothes you change into," his voice was cold, back—his muscled now bare back—was turned to me. He threw me one of his gei tops; I caught it. "Ask Karin for the rest."

I rolled my eyes. "And that would be…?"

His back was still turned to me. "Next to the bathroom," he told me. He seemed to be digging through the dresser.

"Thanks, Mr. Hn." Kami, I love knowing him well enough to piss him off. I'm not that little girl that loved making him happy. I'm stronger—and I don't care if he gets mad, but I wouldn't mind him being happy.

"Whatever…"

I sighed and, with the gei top, left the room.

"Hey, Karin-chan?" I asked knocking on the door next to the room I assumed to be the bathroom. I didn't really know her so… best be respectful.

"If its Suigetsu, leave! _NOW!_" her scratchy voice came through.

"No, no, Uchiha Sasuke sent me," I corrected. If she's anything like I was four years ago, she's open the door happily—with a smile too.

"Sasuke-kun? He sent you?" Her voice was happy. "In a sec, 'kay."

The door opened then. (Could I have been more right?) "Karin-chan," I said, "Sasuke sent me.

Her ruby eyes narrowed to a slit as she corrected me. "Sasuke-san to you."

"Right," I dismissed. "Anyway, can I come in? Sasuke told me you had clothes to give me."

"Sasuke-san. And yes." Red eyes examined me—head to toe. "Why do you have Sasuke-kun's gei?"

I sighed—boy, that was becoming a bad habit—and answered. "He lent it to me. Can I have the clothes now?"

Karin smiled oddly, exposing ugly-shaped, oddly white teeth. She went back to her room, slamming the door in my face, and came back. She handed me the clothes and tried copying Sasuke's hn—notice I said _tried_.

I rolled my green eyes at the childish antics and walked to the bathroom.

It was dull, as the rest of the place. A graying toilet in the corner next to the door; a white shower-bath; and another graying thing—a sink, I think. Whenever I need to _go,_ I'll hold it in. Or go outside. But at least the shower was clean.

I covered the gei top, mesh-shirt, shorts, and underwear in a thin chakra shield, so they wouldn't get dirty. Then I started for the shower.

Too disgusted to spend more than ten minutes in the dirt-covered room, I was out in less than five. I put on the clothes and came out. The gei was long, but I was used to it. Kiba and Shikamaru were always making me wear their shirts; trees or kunai always ripped mine. Enemy ninja always try to hurt the girls. _Bakas!_ It's the girl who kicks ass!

_**(Sasuke's POV)**_

Never in all the years I've known her had she ever been so hesitant to say my name. The only time she said it, you could hear the remorse in her tone. Sakura was definitely not the weak twelve year old I remember.

"Alright, Sasuke-kun!" Karin cracked voice rang through my door—which she ever so respectfully knocked down. "Why does that pink bitch get to use your gei top?"

I grunted. "Because she doesn't have clothes."

"Orochimaru got her some," her scratchy voice whinned.

Underwear, mesh shirts, and some really short shorts—wow, so much coverage. "Hn…"

"Sasuke why are you shirtless?"

I rolled my eyes. "'Cause I gave her the gei top." I stood up off the bed and grabbed a clean gei top from the dresser.

Wood clanked on concrete as I turned to watch Sakura walk over the door.

Her jade orbs scanned the room. Her pink shoulder length hair was wet and curled. It not only was wet, it was dripping, making the shoulders of my gei clear. My gei only reached the tips of her thighs. Black latex covered what the gei didn't. The top was open—didn't surprise me that it was big on her, hell it was big on me—and a mesh shirt covered her inside. A thick strap held it up; it ran left to right. The black latex covered _her_ and tight mesh covered her stomach. I could see it was flat and porcelain-like.

She stepped off the wood and placed a rectangular pile of clothes on the bed. Then, she lifted the door to its hinges. "What the…?" The hinges went green and she get go. Green orbs landed on Karin. "Oh…. Fan-girl's got a hold on the famous 'Sasuke-kun's" —her tone was teasing—"door'. Oh well, it be fixed" Her was as light as that of a bird.

"Sasuke-kun's door shouldn't have been fixed by such ugly chakra!" Karin shouted.

Sakura rolled her green orbs and sighed. "Whatever, just don't bug 'im too much. If you want him, trust me."

WHAT THE HELL?

"Sasuke," Sakura said, voice directed at me, "testing time!"

How the hell did someone get so excited for a doctor's visit? Even when I was twelve I hated the hospital. Oh yah—Sakura had somehow managed to become a medic.

"Sasuke-kun needs a—" Karin started but was cut off.

Sakura, suddenly behind her, started pushing on her. "Out, out, out! Medics only!" Karin's legs wouldn't budge. Green eyes rolled as her small hand gripped Karin's purple shirt and glowed green. "Out!" With that word, the big hipped _thing_ was pushed out the room with little more than a shove. The door slammed behind her.

Keeping the fact that I was impressed to myself, I sat on the rock bed. At least the meals were decent… halfway….

"Alright…" Sakura sighed. "Again, I question your taste in teammates…. But Juugo-san is waiting, so…"—her still wet hands pressed to my temples—"…Let's get started."

_**(3**__**rd**__** person)**_

Hands pressed to cold temples, Sakura pushed him to the rock they called a bed. Chakra flowed easier this way—one on top of the other.

Sakura felt Sasuke tense under her as she tried to start to pulse chakra through him. She groaned. "Medical chakra flows better this way. Believe it or not, it's not the first time someone did this to you…"

Sasuke felt something cold flow through him. It felt almost as if thick liquid was gushing in him by the temples. Cold and refreshing…. The feeling, though distracting, wasn't the only thing he paid attention to. "Hn," came out of his mouth as he tried to remember anything like what his old teammate was doing.

"Yah…" Sakura's voice broke in. "Eyes closed, mister!" she ordered. She was a lot more relaxed.

Thinking of the old days, the good ones. The ones where Sasuke would risk his life for the weak link—her—the days when he was a team member, not a team _dictator_…. The days when he was _'all that'_ and didn't flaunt it. Now, as an S-ranked criminal, he flaunted it, and he didn't have it. Life was _so_ much simpler as a twelve year old genin….

Something stopped her chakra. Like a brick wall in his head. It was like Juugo's, only stronger.

Sasuke'e eyes opened and he hissed. It wasn't in pain, just a lust that broke through him when the cold liquid hit something near his neck. The lust rushed over his body in powerful waves. Bloodlust and… lust… built each wave. Waves which he left out in hissed.

"Sasuke," Sakura smiled. His curse mark—retched thing—was pulsing, but not with her chakra, as Juugo's had. Onyx eyes bore into emerald ones in response.

"What," he hissed in mixed lust.

"Nice control…" Sakura could tell he was using all of his Uchiha self-control, even if he couldn't himself. Her hands slid from his temples to the pulsing black mark.

Chakra pulsed through the now spinning black marks. They just absorbed it, spinning faster.

"Sakura!" the Uchiha hissed. "What the hell are you doing!"

Sasuke reluctantly pushed Sakura off his chest. His hands cupped at the spinning black marks.

Sakura sighed. "Don't worry, Sasuke. Onigai, you'd think I'm killing you. Let it sink in. I'm just healing you—or trying." Oynx eyes narrowed in disbelief. "Yours is different than Juugo-san's."

She pushed the Uchiha back to the rock, climbing over him again. Sasuke let himself be pushed. He was now curious. "How so?"

"You see," she said, placing her hands to his neck, pressing chakra through it, "yours absorbs my chakra; Juugo-san's didn't. Juugo-san's repelled it, like any norml body repells unneeded chakra. Myths have it that two bodies share similar chakra. You know it. Basic schooling requires myth learning."

"'The Legend of The Chakra Lovers,'" he scoffed at the title.

"Yes. I don't get it." Again she pulsed chakra through him—some through the mark and some through his temple.

Sasuke absorbed it as it pushed through him. It almost felt as if it was trying to break through something… and almost as if it was working. But at the same time, it made the wall stronger.

"Chakra's a confusing business. Depends on the person feeding it in what it does. Mine lets me read the person to whom I'm feeding it to's mind. In this case yours. You're thinking about what my chakra's doing. How it feels. That's how I knew I needed to explain. I'm surprised Kaboto didn't tell you all this." Sakura said, pulling her hand from Sasuke's temple. "See, Sasuke, your chakra has a special 'power,' you could say. Yours can control body movement."

"Hn… Interesting."

"As long as you're pumping chakra into the person." She lifted a hand to cover her lips. "Shouldn't've told you that," Sakura mumbled from behind her hand.

Something inside Sasuke changed as he heard the guilt in the soft, honey voice of his now—sad as it may be—ex fan-girl. Something inside him broke at the distrust in the sweet nectar. Something in that sweet voice cracked his, just a bit. Something inside him hurt at the sadness. Something inside that sadness pained him in a way that made kunais through his body seem a dull imitation.

"Sakura," he said the name in syllables, "I won't do anything. Swear to Kami."

A smile spread across plump cherry colored lips. Uchiha Sasuke just spoke a full sentence! And better yet, he promised something!

"Thank you," Sakura breathed, lifting herself from his chest. "By the by, your mark's in immense control. Nice way to use that Uchiha stubbornness. And… nice abs."

If you looked close enough—like a centimeter away from his face—you could see just the faintest shade of pink. Just a little bit, but it was there.

Sakura sighed. She tightened the white sash that held the gei top closed—or, at least, close to her. "Anything to say?" the pinkette asked, watching Sasuke sit up.

"Confusing. Even for an _S_-ranked criminal," Sasuke sighed, rubbing the still spinning black marks.

Sakura snorted, heading for the wood door. "No, not the chakra; your gei. I think I used it right."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Under the hard shell years had caused, Sakura was still there. The thought didn't bug him as much as he thought it should. "The outfit's fine; go rub it in Karin's face, will you? She needs to be humbled."

"You do too, and thanks," Sakura told him, loud and clear.

"For…?"

"Letting me be twelve again, for a moment. And for speaking a full sentence to me." Sakura's voice was soft as she slipped out the open door.


	4. Chapter 4

A gei top is Sasuke's white shirt; it's worn by people who practice Marital Arts.

**(POV Sakura)**

This day was probably the longest in the world. How long was I in that room? Seams like days, but it was only mere hours. It was nice to hang out with Sasuke, like when we were kids—only he didn't hate me.

My booted feet shuffled along the stone hallway floor. Where was I going? I guess I just wanted to get out of the dying room. It was so… drab. Not a slab of color anywhere! I never knew Orochimaru could be so boring!

For a while, I just walked, turning at corners, until a fence door gave me a dead-end. The fence was a rusty thing. Though it you could see a fenced yard. The fence was _far_ off miles off. If it was fenced, I should be allowed out, right? If I wasn't, oh well, even better.

I opened the door; it squeaked louder then Naruto's rubber ducky, _Ducky_, he called it. I stepped out into the crunchy, yellow grass. The place or, rather, yard was scattered with ninja, each sparring one another. Did they even care if they killed each other? Probably not. What with blood splattered everywhere, eyes black and puffy, it sure didn't look like it. They grunted along, dodging almost every kick, punch and no-justsu that came their way; it was almost as if they didn't notice me. Hello! Pink hair here, how could you _not_ be starstruck? Not that I wanted the attention, I was just used to it. When I went on missions, it was all I got.

The air was stained with the smell of browning blood. It felt odd, just standing there, when people were defiantly on the verge of death. I was so used to running across the pristine floor of the hospital, just to save dying shinobi and the occasional villager. Maybe I just needed to walk around.

My eyes met the shine of medal. Apparently, Orochimaru didn't care if his men killed each other there was a fucking _bar_ out here! It had gold colored medal, it sat right next to the door, a tender inside it, and about nine drunks on the eleven stools. I walked to the bar, men or no. Maybe some Sake would clear my mind or make me drunk. They both sounded pretty good right about now.

"Sake, please," I said, sitting in the farthest chair from the drunks.

The bartender grinned. It wasn't a kind one, like most of Sasuke's, it was evil and sly. "Sure, Pinky. I've got cherry, strawberry and lime." His voice was slurred and overlapping. It made me feel… sleazy.

"Cherry," I answered, trying to ignore the man's voice.

"No prob, Pinky," the called over the grunts. He handed me an eight-ounce cup, filled to the top with the pink alcohol drink. I tried to smile probably came out twisted and took a sip from the cup. "She's going to get drunk," he muttered under his breath. He most likely thought I didn't hear him, them thinking I wasn't a kunoichi and all.

Heads whipped up, all hearing the words as well, all in my direction. Three pairs of eyes were glazed with lust; the others were awestruck. My eyes widen and the three charged at me. _How long had it been since they've seen a __decent__ woman?_ I wondered.

Each one had a weapon in hand. "Barley dressed…" one said. I leapt onto the bar, under a think tree branch.

One grabbed at my sandal-booted. I kicked it off, grabbed at the branch, and swung over it, landing strait on the branch. "Damn it, guys," I called down to the three playfully. "Do you not notice the gei I'm wearing? It's Sasuke's! I've got to keep the stupid thing clean!" Kami-sama knows how much the Uchiha hates damaged things. I really didn't care about the perverted men grabbing at me. Their lives, not mine.

One jumped up next to me, closing in, trying to lock me on the tree trunk. I just kicked him off, hard no chakra needed. I most likely injured his vital organs with nothing but sheer force. Damn, Orochimaru had perverts!

(Sasuke POV)

I walked out. The three perverts of the place were chasing someone up a tree and getting kicked out in the process. It looked like there were broken bones and bad organs in the mix of flesh.

"Vodka," I told Yadimarku. He gave me a cup of the sticky drink. I gulped the thing down as another perv fell to the yellow grass.

"Hey, Sasuke-san," the man, who obviously had some broken bones, said to me, trying to stand. "She's a feisty one up there, she is." Did he ever get tiered of _trying_ to impress me? "Nice hair too.… Colorful."

_Colorful?_ Where was Sakura and her _'colorful'_ hair?

"Pinky!" the brown-headed man called. "Tiered yet?"

"Buzz off, asshole!" Sakura's angry voice called back. It was definitely Sakura. If she was twelve, I would've worried, but she's sixteen, a kunoichi and a hell of a medic. With these asses, she can take care of herself.

"Don't be like that, babe." The man who said that fell to my heels, blood covering his chest and head.

"Sakura," I yelled up to her as another perv fell. I took another swing at the vodka. She swung down from the branch, chakra keeping her on the thing. Her short hair hanged under her head. "Holding yourself up okay?"

"Sasuke!" she said, her tone a bit whiny. Not as whiny as Karin, but still. Her green orbs were glued to my cup of yellow vodka. The so-called perv leader, jumped up to her with a kick. She paid no attention, dodged it, and knocked the man out cold. "How old are you? I _know_ you're not old enough to be drinking! Your barley seventeen! That is no age to be drinking" she sniffed the air above my cup without falling off the branch "vodka!"

"Hn…" I mumbled, not caring about what she was saying.

She jumped down feet flipping over to land on the bar and grabbed my cup. Turning to Yadimarku, she yelled, "You ever and I mean _ever_ let him drink anything other than Sake, and I swear to Kami that it won't be just his" she pointed to me "life on the line!"

Who the hell did she think she was? Weakling like her has no right to tell me what I can and cannot drink!

"Sakura!" I hissed, pissed. By now all the perverts were hiding away, probably thinking she was _mine_. The pinkette jumped down, landing on the seat next to me. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

She looked at me, eyes calm as a green rolling ocean. "Sasuke, its simple, really. I'm risking my life to save yours."

"_Risking?_" I repeated. What the hell was that?

"Uchiha Sasuke," Sakura said, lifting her hand to put pink strands of her hair back in place behind her ear. Most of the ninja in the yard had gathered around us. "I know you. When you were twelve, you were willing to blast me out of consciousness when I took away your Sake. Now your seventeen, and I won't let you have your vodka. Now you've seventeen, and you know a hell of a lot more ju-jetsus. And I'm still the annoying little girl you hate," her calm hadn't dissolved. It was as if she _really_ believed I hated her. It kind of hurt.

"Sakura," I sighed, "I get it. You're a medic, you worry, its what you do. But my vodka "

" Makes you happy, I heard it all before. Shikamaru has no, had the same story. Lazy ass was on the verge of death. And if you drink any more, you will be too. You give yourself away; I can see the alcohol levels in your body." Green eyes bore into my own. They were sad and disappointed; again, it hurt. She was never _ever_ disappointed in me. She was _Sakura_, damn it!

"Sakura, give it back." Her soft green eyes smothered against my anger filled onyx ones. All I could manage was a strangled whisper; I couldn't yell at her (don't know why the hell not).

"Sasuke, I said no."

The men _'oh'_-ed and _'ah'_-ed at my failure to flare out my temper. "Pinky's gonna lose her life today," some men declared. "She's dead," some others said. "Ha! Sasuke-san can't control his woman!"

At that one Sakura turned to them, a death wishes clear in her eyes. "Okay you know what!" she yelled, hearing all the comments. "One more comment and I _make _him mad enough to _kill_ you all!" Her eyes held emerald flames; they burned bright. "And Kami knows I'll help. You're all _bakas_. Say all those things you were saying to his face and I promises you he won't be the only one enjoying a bloodbath!" Her hand was glowing green with chakra. That hand held my vodka cup. "And you know what?" Her hand tightened around the cup. "If Sasuke was the _wimp_ you want to make him out to be" the glass broke in her hand; vodka spilled on her bleeding fingers "he wouldn't be Orochimaru's _favorite_! _So piss off!_"

"You've got a nice girlfriend," Yadimarku whispered, his voice sleazy as always.

"She is _not_ my girlfriend," I said, rolling my eyes. She's just a damn friend correction, _was._

Sakura looked at me, eyes changed from _'crazy killer'_ to _'it's just another day in the sun.'_ "You live in a dump, and your friends are trash. Why you left us for them is far beyond me." I knew who _'us' _was it was Naruto-dobe, Kakashi and herself.

I ignored her. "Vodka, again…" I sighed.

"N-no," the tender stuttered. "You're too young. You're-you're Sakura flow-flower was right…." His brown eyes never left Sakura's approving smile.

"I'm not his; and I'm _always_ right _always_." Sakura said, smiling sweetly. How she did it was beyond me, I could barely manage to talk to the guy.

I rolled my eyes. And realized again that she wore my gei top… and hardly anything else. "What _were_ you thinking?"

"Huh?" she asked, lips pressed to a glass of Sake. I waved a hand to her… _outfit_. She pulled her cup away and swallowed. "I forgot the men here were pervs, I guess." She licked her lips they were pressed together when she concentrated. "Have some Sake if you want to drink. I'm really sorry, but you know I'm just looking out for you. Because it looks like Orochimaru won't do it."

I smirked. Somewhere in her, she was twelve, just not lovesick. It was a nice thought. Even when we were genin, she was caring. Motherly, in a way. _'We're too young to drink Sake, Sasuke-kun'_ this, _'Naruto, you're thirteen; you shouldn't be so perverted' _that, _'Sasuke-kun, talk!' _and the more famous_ '__**NARUTO!**__' _Oh, the better times…

"Go inside," I told her.

"I know I should…. After this." Sakura lifted the cup to her lips, drinking it in one short swing, and stood. "You're still as caring as always. Maybe…." And she went inside.

Why did I care? Should've kept my mouth shut. Then I wouldn't have gotten myself into this _Uchiha Sakura _crap, because sooner or later those bakas would think Sakura was mine. She wouldn't have scared Yadimarku into never giving me my vodka. And I wouldn't feel like I do now.

Confused.

Yadimarku's words rang in my head. _'…nice girlfriend…'_

**(Inside; Sakura POV)**

Perverts.

And Sasuke _way_ too young to be drinking Vodka. _Vodka!_ I mean, Sake, okay. It has barly any alcohol in it, unlike vodka. Vodka has what? fifty percent alcohol! _Way _over the amount a seventeen year old should be drinking way over the amount a seventeen year old should be _allowed_ to drink!

Coming across a door, I stopped. It was Karin's. I remembered Sasuke's words, _'…go rub it in Karin's face, will you?'_ But, I wonder if she had some paper, and maybe a pencil. I knocked. "Karin-chan?" I called. The door opened that second, not wide, just a crack, like last time.

"What do you want?" she asked, rather rudely. Her upper lip curled upward.

"Do you have a paper, and maybe a pencil?" I asked, sweet as can be, though all I wanted to do was barf at the voice and her.

She tried Sasuke's _'hn…'_ and went inside, slamming the door in my face. Seconds later she came back, with a pack or plain white paper and three pencils. "Don't bug me."

"No," I said, stopping her from closing the door with my foot. "Sasuke wanted me to do something."

"Really?" she smiled.

"Yeah," I grinned. "I've got a better body then yours! Look at it hourglass! Yours is a squash!" I sang, loving the fact that I had an excuse to do this. She was getting on my damn _nerves!_ Then I smiled. "That's all."

Her red eyes narrowed into slits. "Don't bug me," she repeated.

I nodded, my smile sweet. Rude as he excuse me, _she_ may be, I didn't have to be it to her. (That little hourglass thing was just because Sasuke wanted it. I still liked to make him happy.) I went over to Sasuke's room. Why hadn't they given me my own room, or stuck me in the dungeon? Oh well.

I opened the door and shut it behind me. The chair Sasuke sat on looked empty without his strong legs swung around it. I pulled it to the dresser. Then I frowned; I didn't know what to draw!

Ah, swell. I'd just let my subconscious be my guide. Pencil to paper, my hand moved. Up… curve… under… curve… lift… down… across… lift… down… curve… lift… down… curve…. Shade…. Lift… down… curve… curve… lift… down… curve… curve… curve… under… meet. Lift… down… curve… curve… lift… down… curve… curve… curve… under… meet…. Shade….

A hand reached down, grabbing my paper. "Hey!" I yelled.

"What'd you draw?" Sasuke's voice asked.

Hell, I didn't even know! I pulled the page back to me. My sketch was nice. But I didn't know why I drew it.

The Uchiha fan stood proudly in the center, interlaced with the Haruno Clan symbol. Both were shaded to look round. Beautiful butterflies looked as if flying around the corner of both symbols. My best drawling scene Sasuke left.

I used to draw things like this when I was twelve, the two clans interlaced, always locking together. But this… this was amazing. It was simple. Nothing to ruin the beauty of the two symbols. My mother always told me to keep beauty simple, but this… this was gorgeous. Amazing truly.

My jaw giggled, trying to form words that wouldn't come out.

"What why'd you draw that?" Sasuke stuttered, pulling the white sheet out of my fingers. Sasuke never stuttered. He was _Sasuke,_ damn it.

"I honestly don't know. I zoned. All I felt was the pencil in my hand, and my hand moving over the paper. I wasn't even thinking, really," I whispered, shocked at Sasuke's stutter.

Sasuke's mask had fallen. Pure shock was his most portent on his face. But there _was_ more. There was a trace of smugness in there. Maybe he thought I wasn't over him. Though it was true, he was a baka. There was something else though. Happiness? Joy? I don't have much experience judging those. Maybe I was imagining things.

Who knew drawling could bring up so much emotion in an Uchiha an _Uchiha!_? People are always shocked by them, but….

"Sasuke, can I have it back?" I asked.

"No. Draw another one. Don't look at it; drift off." He ordered me in to the tone of _Sasuke-kun,_ not _Sasuke-do-whatever-I-say-or-I'll-kill-you._ I couldn't disobey.

"O-okay…" I stuttered.

I grabbed another sheet and the dull pencil. I started to draw, not looking down from his onyx eyes. They were on the paper.

Up… curve… under… curve… lift… down… across… lift… down… curve… lift… down… curve…. Shade….

"Sakura, you have this memorized," he accused.

My hand dropped the pencil and I turned to the page. There they were again. Uchiha and Haruno interlaced proudly. My jaw dropped wide I swear it almost hit the floor. **(A/N: Not really.) **How the…?

"No. If I did, the circles would have overlapped. Because you saw I wasn't looking," I countered calmly. Sasuke was the type that only responded well under calm conditions; _that _I know.

Sasuke took the paper; my jade eyes followed. A well-masked emotion flickered across his face, and disappeared. "Who taught you?" he asked, taking the three small steps to the rock bed. I knew what he meant.

"A friend," I answered, knowing he wouldn't know Sai.

"Who?" he pressed. Normally, he wouldn't've cared. Wonder why he did now? But he was still using _Sasuke-kun_'s tone; I couldn't _not_ answer.

"Sai," I said, the name burning on my tongue. Sai was a good person, but he was a bit… un-understanding. He was a bit under sensitive when it came to everyone else, and oversensitive when it came to himself.

Sasuke nodded, probably hearing the flames in the name, and sat on the bed. His eyes never left the drawling. He had them on top of each other, the new one on the bottom and the other one on top. What was he thinking? My heart skipped a beat. He wasn't going to rip them, was he? He better not!

"Can I have them back?" I questioned.

He _'hn'-_ed and reached out toward the dresser drawers. His arms reached out al the way over to. He opened the drawers and stuffed the papers in¾_stuffed!_

"Sasuke," I howled. _'Those were rightfully ours!'_ Inner Sakura screamed inside me.

"Hn…"

I took a deep breath.

"Sasuke, give them back. Or I swear to you all yell," I breathed out.

"Yell for all I care." _Sasuke-do-whatever-I-say-or-I'll-kill-you _was back.

"Sasuke, you don't know what you're saying," I threatened. "I can make most of everyone in this compound _hate_ your guts. I can."

"Then go ahead." His face was emotionless as he always tried to make it seam.

I shrugged. His virginity¾I hope. I may not have gotten over him, but I sure had tried. And failed. But that didn't mean Neji didn't have his ways. Neji can be _very _convincing.

"Sasuke-kun!" I half-yelled, half-moaned. Like I said, his virginity in question not mine; mine was lost _months_ ago….

"What the fuck!" Sasuke yelled, understanding what I did.

"I told you," I teased. "I can make every man here hate you." I knew it was every man. I saw it in their chakra, and the way they flared out when I yelled.

Sasuke shrugged. "And every woman loathe you."

"I don't plan on staying here. I might stay till Juugo-san gets better, and then I'll find some way to escape. Besides, so far, I've seen exactly one woman¾if she is in fact a woman¾and she all ready hates me," I said, knowing he knew I meant Karin. "Now, art. Now!"

"Hn…"

One more time, I'll ask just one more time, then, I'll yell.

"Please?"

"Hn…"

I yelled, louder this time, the same thing as before. Then I added, "Sasuke-kun, you're hurting me!"

"Shut it, Sakura!" he hissed.

"Paper," I answered.

He rolled his onyx eyes and appeared in front of me. "Sakura," he said, bending down to look me in the eye, "keep quite, or I'll make you."

I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Here he is, Uchiha Do-what-I-say-or-I'll-kill-you Sasuke." His eyes bore into mine, burning holes into them. I glared back. Hard as I tried, I knew it didn't look anymore than playful. I could never _really_ get mad enough to glare at him. I _hate_ myself for it. "Please. Give. Me. My. Papers."

Sasuke's face was still only centimeters away from my own. "I said no." He was pissed. I knew it; he _hates _to repeat himself.

I sighed¾again. "At least let me sign it," I breathed. I knew my breath tickled his skin, heating it to an uncomfortable¾but enjoyable¾temperature.

"No."

I sighed again. The day was only half over and I was annoyed as hell. Was I like this when I was twelve? Could I possibly have been _that_ annoying?

"Fine," I surrendered. "I'll be with Juugo-san. Unless you have anything else to add. No?" I asked, pushing Sasuke away and going to the door. "Thanks." I left.

**(Juugo's room)**

"Sasuke-san can be a pain," Juugo-san told me.

The bed squeaked under me as it adjusted to my weight. I hugged my legs closer to my chest. Tears stung my eyes. Sasuke used to be so sweet¾or sweet_er._ He used to risk his life for me, then tell me I was annoying. He used to _care._

"I know," I said, hearing my voice crack. "I know better than anyone…." And I did.

"How long have you known him?" Juugo-san asked, his tone comforting. He had a way to make you spill your guts out to him with his caring little look.

"Years. Before I was eight. I lost count." A chuckle escaped my lips. "I used to call him _Sasuke-kun_¾waste of my time. I used to have a crush on him. Hey, Juugo-san? Do you know why they're called crushes? Because you always get crushed in the end, always."

"Aw…" he sighed. His beefy arms encircled me in a bear hug. It reminded me of Naruto. They both had a way of making me cry my eyes out, just to make me feel better. "Sakura-sama, trust me, he'll cool down. Just leave him be." He pulled away and looked me in the eye with his orange ones. "Sakura-sama, he treats you better then me, Karin or even Suigetsu. He gets over his anger towards you father than with any of us. Have you seen the way he looks at you?"

I knew it was rhetorical, but I answered anyways. "With hatred? Annoyance? Disgust?"

"No, sama. His eyes soften. You've proven to be able to take care for yourself, and yet he looks at you as if your some diamond to be protected from any danger at all costs; one who must never come in contact with the outside world. Sakura-sama, you're special to him."

I scoffed, tears still rolling down my cheeks. Sasuke's heart was cold; the only people that were in there were the ones that were there before it froze. I wasn't one of them. My tears, which used to be controlled, now ran free, marking their path.

"Juugo-san, he used to be nicer. When we were genin, I was his top priority. And he hated me, but he still risked his life for me, time and time again. He just used to care. He's not like this; I know it," my lips quivered as tears fell at a quicker pace.

Sasuke wasn't like this. Sasuke _was not_ like this. He cared. When I cried, he hurt, somewhere. Somewhere, he came to care about me¾maybe not love, like I had but care. Now, I'd bet anything that if he saw me crying, he'd _'hn…'_ and say, _'Stop crying, weakling.'_

"Don't worry, Sakura-sama. I understand."

_He's not like this…._

_He's not like this…._


	5. CONTEST!

Guess what peoples! I'm having a contest. And you know what? Until I get at least ten reviews on this chapter, I'm not adding anymore to _any_ of my stories (not including one-shots)! Sucks for you!

**Now this is what I'm going to do:

* * *

**

_For all you who enjoy Boriqua-chan's (used to be Jackee1998's) stories!_

_If you want anymore on any more of your favorite stories, you'll all have to suggest something for them, because I am stuck. I don't know what to do. Tell me what to do! If I like your idea enough, I'll use it and give you the credit in the Author's Note. It applies to any of my stories (not one-shots):_

"_Arranged Love"_

"_I Want Her"_

"_Back"_

_and_

"_Love's in the Air, That's What Smells So Bad"_

_All up for ideas! _

_HELP ME, I BEG OF YOU!

* * *

_

Love, hugs, and kisses** (and eternal SasuSaku and Zutara and Bloom/Riven)**,

Boriqua-chan.


	6. Chapter 6

**(Sasuke POV)**

She went to Juugo. Perfect. No she'll hate me. Great….

Why do I care anyways?

All she wanted was the damn pages. But I couldn't give them to her. And, as she said, my _Uchiha stubbornness_ was in play. Besides, Deidara needed to see them. I gave him my word that if she showed any artistic ability, I'd tell him. But I gave my word that I'd have her back….

I'm a baka. Right now, she's with Juugo, laughing until she cries, smiling until it hurts. Not even worrying over me.

"Vodka," I said, looking the tender in the eye.

"I told you, you're too young," Yadimarku answered, shifting his weight.

The fire in my eyes burned free, spinning red. "Sakura is not here," I said, slowly, making sure he heard every one of my words. "She is not my mother. She is not my wife. She is my medic. She has no right to tell me what I can and cannot drink. If you think she's scary, wait until I get pissed. Then we'll see if you've the _balls _to deny me," I threatened. "Vodka," I repeated, venom layering my every word. I _hate _to repeat myself.

"O-okay…," the red headed man stuttered. I smirked. He served me the drink.

Wind blew, cold as ice. Spring was not a forthcoming event in the Sound. Leaves blew forward, tangling my hair. And the fence door opened. I took a swing at the vodka.

"Sasuke!" a honey voice yelled angrily beside me. "No! I told you you'd kill yourself!" It was obviously Sakura. Her voice was hoarse.

Slowly, I grabbed my cup and turned to her, ready to drink it all in one gulp. What I saw stopped me in my tracks.

Her pink hair was a mess, obvious knots everywhere. Her emerald eyes had a glistening coat, as if she was crying. The coat fell down her cheekbones, meeting at her perfect chin. Her plump lips were pressed together in determination.

I set the cup down. "Sakura," I said, as close to a whine as I could (being an Uchiha, it wasn't very whine-y), "brush your hair; it's a mess. Orochimaru-san"—a suffix I had to _force _out again—"won't want to see you like that."

"Sasuke, when you stop killing yourself, we'll talk," the pinkette answered, her tone mine.

"Come on," I sighed, standing and grabbing her pale wrist. My hand covered it and then some.

I trudged on to the fence door, Sakura in tow. "Sasuke, let go! I can walk for myself," she complained. Once inside the molding gray building, I did as told.

"Were you crying?" I sighed, looking her strait in her emerald eyes. It was a stupid question; I knew the answer.

"Isn't it obvious?" Her voice was raw.

"Why?"

She smiled. "Not telling you," then she frowned. "You'd only get mad at me."

'_Sakura, why would I? I'm the one that asked! Damn, just tell me!' _I felt like yelling. But she wasn't getting anything out of me. I kept my face emotionless. "Hn…"

She frowned sadly.

Oomph. What the hell was that? It felt like my heart just stopped. All she did was frown! I remember being six; I remember feeling like this then. My father was yelling at my mother… because of me. It made me feel like crap. But Sakura just frowned.

"Sasuke, this isn't they way to the room," Sakura stated shyly.

I didn't answer.

The door I was looking for came towards us. I opened it and waved an arm. Sakura entered and I closed the door Orochimaru wouldn't want me with them.

**(*Flashback*; happens in part 2, when Sakura is "napping")**

I watched her sleep. The steady rise and fall of her chest, the rapid movement of her eyes, the press of her lips, the shift of her weight, the rate of her heart….

"_Hi… Neji-kun…" the sleeping pinkette muttered, shifting her weight to her side. Her lips moved, but nothing sounded. Then, "Neji-kun… Hina…ta's… looking. No… more… ice cream…." A small smile spread across her lips. It was nice too see her smile, even if in a dream._

_It was… fun… to just watch her sleep, to watch her twist and turn. However, the fact that she was with Neji… not so sure I like that…._

_Her plump pink lips pressed together again._

"_Sasuke-kun?" Karin's scratchy, annoying voice pulled on the thin strings of my patience. I turned to look at the vain of my existence from my dark corner. "Orochimaru-san is calling you."_

_I gave her one stiff nod and left the room._

_**(In Orochimaru's "office")**_

"_Ah, S-S-Sasuke-s-s-san…," Orochimaru spit. He was the kind of person that could make a spit sound __**kind**__. "Nice… to s-s-see you here; I suppose you'd like to know why."_

_No duh. "Yes."_

"_This-s-s is-s-s about S-S-Sakura. I do remember you asking for a friend." His thin tongue slithered out with every S he spoke. I didn't remember. All I remember saying that might have made the Snake Lord think that was, __**'I need to be paired with people, not these bakas!'**_

"_S-S-Sakura has-s-s come to fulfill that purpose. And various-s-s other odd-jobs-s-s, if you will. Mos-s-st will be for me. S-S-She will be our s-s-second medic. As-s-s Kabuto is paired with Team Maniko, S-S-Sakura will be on your team, Team Hebi, You seem to be short a medic."_

_No matter how much I wanted to protect her, I didn't want her on my team. What happened yesterday could have been a mask; she could still be that weak fan-girl._

"_I have Karin, Orochimaru-san," I objected._

"_Yes-s-s, yes-s-s of cours-s-se. But, I have as-sighned her as chakra-teller, not medic. Her s-s-skills-s-s, I'm afraid, are almost abs-s-sent. You've narrowly es-s-scaped death with her on hand. As-s-s to S-S-Sakura, s-s-she has s-s-surpas-s-sed even her Hokage. And s-s-she has-s-s been on s-s-several mis-s-sions with her ANBU team. S-S-Sakura can fulfill both Karin's-s-s job and her own. Therefore, our dear pinkette will do both jobs-s-s. I s-s-shall inform her after s-s-she accus-s-stems to her home. Karin s-s-should be informed by you. If S-S-Sakura turns-s-s to be trouble, place her in the bas-s-segment. Otherwise, s-s-she's-s-s to s-s-stay with you. I'll send for a cot as-s-s s-s-soon as-s-s Karin comes-s-s to me." Orochimaru's face was dead as he spoke._

"_Orochimaru-san," I hissed, gripping the door so tight I'd most likely leave dents in it, "she'll take Karin's room." It was a statement—an order—but I knew the snake would take it as a question._

"_No, S-S-Sasuke-s-s-san. Yours-s-s. If you wis-s-sh, you can always put her downs-s-stairs," Orochimaru's snake tongue darted out with the words. His words were threats; he wanted to see if I still had the guts to put Sakura in the dungeon or if I still had the ties to put her in Karin's room._

_I have no ties. She is just a tool. A tool I am forced to take care of. A tool who belongs to my boss. A tool who's future I shutter to think about. She is a girl who I had __**once **__known. An annoying person, just that._

"_Hn…" I said, turning to leave._

"_Bring her to me when s-s-she's-s-s ready," I heard Orochimaru reminded me before I left._

_**(In the room)**_

"Sasuke…" Sakura mumbled. Her word was clear; she was awake. Was she greeting me? "…You're… back?" She was awake. "Kohona… you… seven… Kakashi-sensei…." She turned uncomfortably, her hands tied over her head. No, she was still sleeping.

**(*Flashback over*)**

I plopped myself on the rock bed. What was she dreaming of? First with Milk-eyes, then with me? I sighed. That annoyingly mysterious pinkette….

**(Sakura POV; Orochimaru's "office")**

"Welcome home, S-S-Sakura," the gray skinned snake-man said, my name coming out in a hiss. I kept quite. This wasn't home. This was prison. "I s-s-see you've grown," he hissed, lifting himself from his chair and walking to me. "Last time I saw you, you were little more than a girl. And you had long hair." His slimy hand reached to touch my chin. He lifted it, so our eyes met. "Pretty little woman." He sighed. "But no time for that. "I've something to tell you. And then…," he trailed off, his eyes masking what he was thinking. He was better at this than Sasuke. "Team Hebi," he said, bringing himself back. "S-S-Sakura, my dear, you are now a part of Team Hebi. Your teammates are S-S-Suigetsu and Juugo; I trust you've met them. Uchiha Sasuke is your boss-ss-ss. And I, I am his boss-ss-ss. You'll be highest in the team, s-s-second only to S-S-Sasuke-s-s-san."

I'm a criminal now. It doesn't sound too good. Harsh bed… dirty bathrooms… betraying my village…. I gritted my teeth together as to not say anything.

His hand traveled down my throat. His long, scaly fingers moved up and down, as if petting a cat. "Res-s-spond only to S-S-Sasuke-s-s-san, and if need be, me. S-S-Should you respond to any other, you will be rightfully punis-s-shed." All while he said that, his other hand started to roam my bodice. My Inner gagged as I stood still, eyes roaming, looking for an exit.

There was a window right behind what Orochimaru called a desk. Really it was just two cardboard boxes put together by tape. The window was large, but it would take some time to get to. I could always gen-jutsu my way out. But Sakura was of the essence. If worse came to worse, Sasuke was just a shout away. Would he answer me? Or, because it was his sensei, would he ignore me? Better do that first, just in case.

Orochimaru watched me—too close for comfort. "Honey," he said, making the word slither around, "your most important odd job: pleas-s-se me."

A slimy hand made its way under both Sasuke's gei and my mesh shirt. **'Ew! So indecent!' **my Inner screamed.

"Am I now?" Orochimaru spit. Did I say what Inner Me did? I panicked as the gray man's snake tongue slithered out and curled around my right ear, leaving lakes of spit in its trace.

"Let go of me, pig!" I yelled, flying back to the door and landing in a crouch. Green fire blazed behind my eyes.

"Feisty," Orochimaru hissed, then added, "I like it," when he appeared in front of me.

"Orochimaru," I warned, poison layering my words thick.

Orochimaru smirked. "Ah, Kohona kuniochi, what _am _I going to do with you?"

"First off," I hissed, "you could let me go."

Orochimaru grinned. He slid a hand under my shirt again, his forefinger landing on my navel. He pressed on it, taking all of my chakra with his. Normally, it wouldn't have hurt, but the snake master did something to make the action hurt more than Naruto's Rasengan. He left me breathless.

'**Sasuke!' **Inner yelled out. She—I—always relied on him to help, no matter what. As much as I _know_ how helpful the Uchiha could be, I hated myself—or her, or whatever—for it. I might've said it out loud; I don't know.

That, Inner's scream, was the last thing I heard before the blackest night I've ever seen overcame me. It wasn't night, exactly, lit up by stars and the Moon. It was just… black.

I knew where I was. I was in this place multiple times when I was little, and I've sent Naruto and Kiba here. But I hate this place.

Stupid unconsciousness. Damn it.

**(Sasuke POV)**

I walked on to Karin's room. I hate being so fucking close to her.

I knocked on the _thing's _door.

"Who is it?" it's sandpaper voice called.

"Me," I growled.

"_Sasuke-kun!_" The door swung open as _it _said my name. "Sasuke-kun, given up, have you?"

I snorted, "When I'm dead."

_It _frowned. "So… Sasuke-kun…" she—it—prompted

"You're off the team. Orochimaru-san"—again I had to force it out—"is appointing you elsewhere," I said, eyes little more then slits.

The redhead's face fell. "B-b-but, Sasuke-kun, why?"

"I don't know nor do I care." I turned around, heading back to my room. Her jaw was wide when I slammed my door behind me.

From there, I went to Sakura's drawings. _'They __**are **__beautiful,' _I thought, opening the drawer, and taking them all out.

Our symbols were tightly interlaced and the butterflies were Uchiha Butterflies. She had talent.

"Sasuke!" I heard. The voice was sweet and pained. And I knew that voice. It was the voice that mysteriously dragged be out of the Reaper's bony grasp. It was the voice that cared for Team 7's boys. It was Sakura. I expected her to yell for me again. She didn't; she usually did. She was in Orochimaru's 'office' right now. What the hell was the snake doing?

Without my knowing, my hands made the necessary signals to pop into my _'master's' _office.

A pink mop of silky hair caught my eye. It was inches away from the door, unmoving. Orochimaru was off at the back of the room, near his desk. His bony chest was out in the open.

"What the hell is happening!" I yelled, narrowing my eyes. I could feel that my eyes had turned crimson red. He was going to _rape _her. While she was out _cold_!

My eyes deepened their red, from crimson to blood red. This was the day this _son of a bitch_ was going to die.


	7. Chapter 7

**Now, as I was going through my reviews, (thank you!) I found some things I wanted to comment on. BuriedHeart thinks I shouldn't kill Orochimaru, as I was [and am] planning on. I decided to put up a poll. If you vote, you may—will—help me write Chapter 8. I might not take the poll to heart though. I am visiting my cousin this week, and, being as she is a writer, she will help me with ALL my fan-fics. (Poll's on my Profile.)**

**And my dear Raven Serpentine, Sasuke being romantic was the point of killing Orochimaru.**

**Twisted Musalih, you've reviewed on most of my stories. THANK YOU!**

**Baby swan-azure orbs thanks for reviewing throughout the story! And to answer your question, remember she said, and I quote, **"**I might've said it out loud; I don't know."**

**Thank you Spazz8884 for reviewing.**

**Thank you, BlackandPink is Love for reviewing.**

**! SHOUT OUT: to my cousin, (not her real name, just her username) KIANGA; look her up as Kianga. She's one of my fav authors. !**

**/Sasuke POV/**

If life were easy, I'd be in Kohona, eating ramen with the dobe. But its not. My kantana's burnt and bloody, my chakra's low, my eyes are red, and there's a shirtless sixteen-year-old girl across a bloody snake 'lord'.

"Anything els-s-se, New Mas-s-ster?" one of my newly found snake slaves asked.

"Hai, anything," another echoed.

"Leave," was my only answer. The tree snakes I had summoned disappeared into puffs of smoke.

Sakura twisted around, her mesh shirt lifting up over her navel. She was pale, more so then usual. She seamed so peaceful; it was the peacefulness she reached only in sleep. She looked, well, she looked beautiful—not that I would admit it to anyone. Sakura twisted again, reaching up to grip my gei, which she was using as a pillow, and pulled her legs up to her chest. I'd seen this passion before. Kakashi called it the 'Sasuke-get-off-your-lazy-ass-and-help-Sakura-can't-you-see-she's-scared-and-depressed' passion. It wasn't a good sign when she was awake. She was asleep now, and, in her sleep, it was a good sign. I hope.

I walked to her and lifted her. She needed rest. She needed safety. She needed Kohona. She needed love. She needed her life. She needed to get away from Orochimaru's gray blood.

I needed rest. I needed danger. I needed my life. I needed my hate. I needed… her the most.

But—did she need me?

**/Room; Sasuke POV/**

She was cold, I could tell. She was shivering under the thin silk that was the blanket. Why wouldn't she be? Orochimaru took every little crevice of chakra and drained it. She didn't even have enough to heat herself. We didn't have blankets.

Sakura moved into my side of the bed. Her lips moved, but no sound came out. It didn't matter. I'd been reading lips long enough to know what she said. Sasuke….

I lifted myself from my chair. Right now, she wanted me, at least. I rested myself on my back.

Sakura's arm rested itself on my chest. Her pushed my arm away. I simply let her and wrapped my arm over her shoulders. It was nice, our passion. This 'tool' was rather comforting.

Sakura's cheek made its way to my chest.

Being unconscious was so much like being asleep. You got rest, you grew, you didn't know what the hell you were doing, but, somewhere deep inside you, you knew you wanted it. The only thing was, one was voluntary, and the other wasn't.

She'd been quite.

I brushed away strands of pink hair from her apple green eyes. She looked so peaceful. It seemed as even the smallest interference would disturb her.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun!"

Damn that thing.

The door swung open. Her red eyes were shut, her mouth was wide open. The N was still coming out her mouth.

"Quite!" I practically yelled. It was the only time I talked to her when I didn't have to.

Karin stopped. Her eyes opened. And then narrowed on Sakura. "Why is your arm around her? It should be around me!" Her voice was low with fury.

"Leave."

Sakura rubbed her cheek on my chest, almost as if willing me to keep Karin quite. Her eyelashes fluttered ever my open gei. But she didn't get up; she didn't have the chakra.

"Sasuke-kun, that bitch is on your chest! I know she was your teammate and all, but…! If I'm not allowed to hug you like that, that shouldn't be either!" She was whining now. Not even twelve-year-old Sakura was this annoying. The things red eyes flared.

"Leave her. She's low on chakra," I said. "Is Kabuto back?"

"Hai, Sasuke-kun."

"Bring him here."

"Hai, Sasuke-kun."

I frowned. It left. Sakura twisted.

Sakura's chakra's levels were getting higher.

Orochimaru didn't want her anymore.

I did want her. I want her to be happy.

If only life were easy.

**/Sakura POV/**

Someone opened my mouth. I couldn't tell who or what. It was too dark in my world. I felt only large, cold fingers and the thin silk sheet over my near nude body. I didn't twist away from it. The touch wasn't comforting, and I hadn't the chakra or the energy to twist away.

The person put a pill in my mouth and made me swallow.

I felt better instantly. My chakra was up, I could move. The black blanket was lifting. Thank Kami for replenishing pills.

"If she's Haruno, she should get up in a matter of seconds," I heard someone say. The voice was familiar, but I couldn't place it.

My eyes opened. The people didn't notice.

An Uchiha was there. **Two **Uchihas were there—the only Uchihas in world. "Itachi!" I yelled happily.

The long midnight haired Uchiha smirked. He came to me; arms open ready for a hug. "Sakura, you're okay?" His low masculine was full of worry. I was the only one that could make him worry—well, Sasuke and me. He told me that long ago, the day he came back to Kohona for a treaty. Itachi was a good person.

I smiled. "Yes, father-san," I teased as I let myself be hugged.

"No," Itachi disagreed, "its brother-in-law."

I blushed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sasuke's scowl deepen. Pulling away, I murmured, "Itachi, though you may hate him, happens to think we'll fall for each other. And I met him on Kohona grounds. He came to offer a treaty for the Mist. And he's worrisome." I answered the questions as they appeared in the young Uchiha's eyes.

"Ironic, no?" another voice said. This was the voice I couldn't place before. It was Kabuto. He was back. "Your brother thinks you'll end up with your ex-teammate, a playboy like you. Kami can be cruel."

"Uchiha Sasuke's a **what**?" I yelled, my shock overpowering my better judgment. It hurt to hear that my love was a man whore.

The men ignored me.

"Do you still want to kill me?" Itachi asked Sasuke.

"Not too much…"

"Uchiha Sasuke's a **what**?" Yeah, I was still in shock.

"I'd not tell her anything, if I were you," the Uchiha murderer suggested.

"I know. Temper, temper," Sasuke agreed, rushing his fingers through his silky-looking navy hair. I still couldn't believe it. Not my Sasuke. Playboy? I think not. He doesn't even like contact with people!

"Kabuto," I said sweetly, seductively, "Can you leave? Pretty please?" My bottom lip was out in a pout; my voice was naive and innocent.

The gray haired man said nothing. He just left.

As soon as the door closed, Itachi slapped my head. "Sakura," he hissed. "What did I tell you about that? Little pink headed dumb-ass!"

"Yo," I said running my head. **(Did I just say 'yo'? Oh, Kami, Kakashi's rubbing off.) **"Just woke up! And don't blame me, it worked."

Itachi sighed. "You have no idea how much," he muttered. I rolled my eyes. The 'talkative'—to be related to Sasuke, he was talkative—Uchiha smile. That's how I knew something was wrong. Itachi doesn't smile. Sasuke **does not **talk (much).

I placed everything together but by bit.

I was still chakra depleted. I was dreaming. My mind had made up a fantasy to ease the blow of unconscious. Orochimaru was on me, doing things only one man had ever done; things I've fanaticized with one man, one young Uchiha, while the man did what he did. Orochimaru was tainting—not that I was ever **un**tainted—with his slimy fingers. Doing things that I would **gladly **murder him for.

As soon I realized that, the word when black. I was back in the void. Fuck.

**/Sasuke POV/**

She twisted, finally getting off my chest. Her breathing sped up a bit.

"Sasuke-san, she's awakening," Kabuto stated the obvious. It had been fifteen minutes since he had given her the pill.

Sakura twisted again, and sat up, eyes open.

"No, no, no," Kabuto shouted. "We're not in Kohona, sweetie; our pills work little at a time!" He tried lying the emerald-eyed beauty back down. She refused.

Fire lighted in her seaweed eyes. "Don't touch me, traitor," she spit at him. Damn, she held a grudge. It had been years since Kabuto was called that.

"What a memory," the gray haired twenty-year old muttered.

Then Sakura's face turned pout-y. Something other then almost being raped was on her mind.

"Kabuto," she sighed, crossing her legs in front of herself, "I want to talk to Sasuke. Alone." He looked at me. I nodded. He left. "Sasuke, Itachi's near."

My eyes popped wide before I could control them. "Which direction?"

"I'm not telling, not until you agree to talk to him. Your brother, Uchiha Itachi, is not evil." Her words were sincere. That only angered me. That man, the one I once copied at age eight, that man was the devil.

"Oh, isn't he? My voice came out teasingly when I'd meant it to come out violently.

"No, Sasuke. And I'm willing to keep him on the DL until you promise to talk to him. Itachi only wants to talk. He's, well, he's the calmest I've seen him in the past two years. Just talk to him." She was pleading, for my brother. Her tone was soft as pillows and her words held no lie.

"Hn…" I gave in. Sakura smiled, her cheeks meting her eyes in the process. Damn it. I had turned soft.

/Naruto; Hokage Tower/

"Tsunade-baa-chan," the blonde whined, "Sakura-chan's been missing for two days! Someone kidnapped her!"

"Naruto, it's only been two days. You know the rules, Mr. Sixth Hokage. One month, ninja search party; three months, kidnapped; six months, missing min." Her words weren't slurred; they were strait and thoughtful. She had stayed somber for the last two days, wanting to be alert for news on Sakura.

"So? That's the medic schedule, her ninja!" He begged caringly, lovingly, for his ex-teammate and 'sister'.

"Naruto," Tsunade's elephant smile was evident in her voice, "thank you!" The blonde Hokage ran to her gray filing cabinets in her office. She pulled out a pale red folder out of the many gray ones. Sakura was a medic, so her folder was red; she was a ninja so it was pale red, pink, even.

In that 'little' folder, were all the missions Sakura once had, and is qualified to be on, all Sakura's medical history, genin days, chūnin days, jōnin days, and ANBU days, all the teammates she'd ever had, her teams' names, and even some of Sasuke's past—what she knew anyway, and then there were her many sensei; all this over the five years of her ninja life. And the one thing that Tsunade thought she'd never, ever, have use for—Sakura's worth. And not in ryō…

'**Haruno Sakura**, **missing's worth,**

Two days = search party

Two weeks = kidnapped

Two months = missing nin'

The elders were fond of the pinkette; she was strong, she was loving, and she was an amazing ninja. Second to Naruto, Sakura was worth the most. That's how prices were set. Depending on how strong the ninja was, how fond the elders were of the nin, how many—if any—times the ninja ran off—like Sasuke—made up how much a ninja was worth. The less time waited to send a ninja party, the more the ninja was worth.

"Baa-chan, she's due for a party," Naruto said, bottom lip out in a sad, crying pout.

Tsunade smiled and went to her cluttered desk, folder in hand. "Naruto, you've been dismissed. I've a search team to assemble." Naruto grinned widely, his sharp fox teeth showing in the action.

Sasuke: -face even and board- I killed Orochimaru. No doubt of it. Vote against that and I'll send my snakes. I know you all by NAME. I am Uchiha Sasuke, am I not?

Sakura: -smiling- Oh, yes you did, and I love you for it.

Sasuke: -frowning- -evil voice- I thought you loved me before.

Sakura: -kissing Sasuke's cheek- I did…. But now you earned it, before, I just gave it.

Sasuke: -smirking- Hn…

_Sakura: -smiling- That's right, love, that's right._

_Boriqua-chan: That enough lovebirds! –pushes Sasuke and Sakura out of stage-_


	8. Chapter 8

For the record, don't kill me. I know I haven't posted anything in…a long while. But I'm planning on ending/finishing this story soon. I had to do something, and I had to think of a climax and end to the story. Okay, that being said, I'll let you go and read.

/Chapter 8; with Kohona/

The blonde Hokage sighed. It was tiring work, looking through hundreds of thousands of ninja—jōnin, of course—in less than two hours. The sun was beating down hard on the Land of Fire. The busty woman looked at the six teen shinobi she had chosen. She had decided it best if the jōnin knew both each other and the missing Village Blossom. Neji, Kakashi, Lee, Kiba, Shikamaru, and—of course—Naruto stood before her. Hinata would have been in the group as well, but she was on maternity leave.

"I'm sure you've all noticed that a certain pinkette has been…_gone_ for the past two days," Tsunade started, choosing her words carefully.

"Oh, yes. I thought my youthful cherry blossom was on a solo mission," Lee cut in. His outburst was ignored besides the gained, six-way glare.

"According to her worth, the party is to go out tonight. No exceptions." The Hokage's face was tightly in place, hiding the braking woman inside. "You six have been selected, my reasons are known. Shikamaru is the strategist; Kakashi, for experience, is the team's leader; Kiba will 'sniff' out Sakura's sent, Akamaru there to help; Neji will be searching for her in a different way, thank his Bakugan; Lee, just as _everyone_,"—she looked at Shikamaru—"is to help fight. Naruto knows both Sasuke and Sakura, should he be involved—worse come to worse, he will know the best places to look. I trust your things have been gathered?" Everyone nodded. "Good. I expect you to be gone in the next sixty seconds. Dismissed."

/60 seconds/

The six boys met up at the gates. Naruto wasn't talking—that in itself was odd.

Kakashi's perverted orange book was put away, back in his apartment, long ago forgotten because of the Blossom's disappearance. For the first time in two decades, Kakashi's perverted mind was on something other than Naruto's godfather's books. For the past two days, Hatake was stressing over his legally adopted daughter's well being. For the passing seconds, he let his mind wander to that day, three years ago.

/*Flashback*/

_Sakura's arms were tight around her thin legs; her chin propped up over one of her arms. There were no tears in her sad eyes—oh, no, her tear-ducks were long dried thanks to a certain missing Uchiha—but her posture said everything. This was her _'please-comfort-me'_ pose._

_Kakashi walked up to the depressed girl on the concrete bench. It had started raining hours ago, yet his former student was dry as a bone. "Sakura," the silver-haired jōnin said as he sat next to his ex-student, "what is the matter? Lady Tsunade insult your nails?" The pinkette didn't bother answering. Raindrops pelted her ex-sensei as it jumped off her charka umbrella. Kakashi frowned. "Remembering Sasuke?" the teacher guessed. No response. "Missing Naruto?" Not even a blink. "Your parents on a mission?" Sakura stayed indifferent, but something about the way she readjusted her chin on her elbow on her chin told Kakashi that he was on the right track. "Are they wounded…dead?" Sakura gulped, releasing the tight line her lips formed; a sob escaped her once her mouth opened. The twenty-seven year old had guessed correctly._

"_Kakashi," Sakura gasped, laying her head on his shoulder, "the Mist! They killed them both!" Her sobs had gotten louder, overpowering the thunder that had started. "Kakashi…"_

_Said jōnin frowned at the Mist. His arms enveloped the medic-in-training in a hug. In minutes, Sakura fell asleep and Kakashi carried her to his apartment. After wrapping the pinkette in a quilt, Kakashi ran to his youngest student's new sensei, the Hokage._

"_How many orphans are wandering the streets?" Kakashi yelled after knocking down one of the double doors._

"_Wha—Kakashi?" The Hokage was certainly drunk; most likely, she hadn't even looked at the Death Certificate on her cluttered desk._

"_I won't let her become one of them! I'm adopting her. I won't let her become one of the boys. Naruto is under the Elders' watch, as was Sasuke. Neither received the proper care and love they should have. Sakura's not going to be like that. I. Am. Adopting. Her." Kakashi's voice was as harsh and cold as the storm outside._

_Tsunade looked at the copy-nin. What the hell was he talking about? Sakura's parents were on a mission, not _dead_. The blonde looked down at her ever-disordered desk. There they were, Annakoto and Sosade's Death Certificates. The blonde nodded numbly, jaw dropped, and started the adoption papers._

_In minutes, Kakashi was legally a father._

/*Flashback over*/

As Kakashi opened his mouth to give the order, _Move out_, Kiba yelled, "Sasuke's been here!"

Five pairs of eyes widened. Oh, no, oh, please no.

/Sakura POV/

Itachi's mesh shirt was visible in the distance. It was a windy day, and wind was something that that Uchiha loved. He was still calm and innocent, though his pasted proved 'innocent' to be wrong. But that was what and how he felt. What Sasuke felt, on the other hand, was rigid, edger, _murderous_. And his glare was deadly. But he was holding himself back, for a reason. And for some other unknown reason, _I_ was that reason.

"Sasuke," I asked. He nodded, his eyes never leaving those of the on-coming man. "Thank you."

Itachi took his time getting to us. But when he did, his eyes met Sasuke's. They stood there; Sasuke had gotten taller than Itachi. As to where I was up to Itachi's shoulders, I only reached Sasuke's chest.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Itachi's lips turned up to a smirk. "Foolish little brother," he reached up and poked Sasuke's forehead, "you've let Sakura convince you to let me live."

"Would you rather I do otherwise?" Sasuke's top lip was pulled to a scowl. I reached to his top—the one he was wearing—and held his arm, as if that would keep him from going off.

"No." Itachi smirked. "Sasuke, foolish little brother, I'm going to show you something. You will not like it. Show me to a room, and we'll talk.

And so, impatient as ever, Sasuke did as told.

/Sasuke POV/

I gripped the yellow parchment roughly, crimpling its sides.

Sakura stood. "Family matters. I've no business here," she muttered, walking to the door of our bedroom. Turning to us, she said, "Itachi, unless you're using that Sharingan, let it go; you know what it does to your eyes. Don't kill each other."

"You're going…?" I asked eyeing her glowing green orbs. Her hands found her hips.

"I've been kidnapped for a reason. Jūgo's a few doors away," she told me. I felt my charka flair out; I was sure she did too. "Anything happens, I'll scream." Her honey tone was reassuring. I nodded. She left, a smile gracing her thick lips.

I turned to Itachi. His eyes had dimmed from red to black on Sakura's command. "Foolish little brother," he chuckled, smirk in place. It reminded me of Dad's faithful grin. "I know better than to disobey my medic." His?_ Mine._

I turned my attention to the parchment in my fingers. I reread it for the tenth time.

Its corner read, _'Uchiha Itachi; ANBU mission.'_

_Uchiha Massacre,_

_No Uchiha to be left._

_None._

_To be done my midnight._

_5.27.75_

At its bottom right had corner, seven charka signatures glowed. They were dull, but they were there. The seven Kohona Elders, their charka younger, yet elderly. I growled at the glow.

Itachi frowned at me. His black eyes—the ones I used to look up to, one marred with bloodshed, ones tainted with loss, ones like my own—stared into mine. His words rang in my ears like the echo of a gong, "Don't kill them, they were trying to do the best thing for the village." _Not_ kill them? _Not _hate them? How could I _not_ hate them? "It's your home," his voice continued. I couldn't see him; my vision was overcome with red. "Look at me." My eyes ran to the direction his voice came from. The red haze moved out as my eyes focused on the red of the Sharingan.

/Sharingan/

_Black and Red swirled as if they had someplace to go. Abruptly, they stopped, turning to eight dark shapes. Two parties—Itachi and the Elders._

"_All of them, Itachi. Your little brother included," a mass of red said; I figured it was Uritko, the Head Elder._

"_Not Sasuke," Itachi's form uttered. His voice cracked the slightest inch._

"_Sasuke," another nodded._

"_I'll kill them all, but let Sasuke live. I'll kill whomever and whatever you want me to, other than Sasuke. Just let Sasuke live," Itachi's red shape pled. It sounded like tears were pricking at his eyes._

"_Sasuke is an Uchiha. He must—"_

"_He can live," Uritko interrupted. Besides me, Itachi's colored form tensed. This is when things got bad, that I could tell. "But he must kill you. If not, _I_ will kill him." A dry, evil cackle tore through the man's wrinkled lips._

/Sharingan/

Itachi," I said, swallowing the lump that I refused to let form. He had giving his life for mine.

"Don't—" He might've said _Don't mention it_, but someone's yell cut him off. I knew that voice immediately.

I dropped the parchment still in my hands and ran out to her. I could hear Itachi following me.

Jūgo stood there, his eyes dark with bloodlust. His whole body was black with the curse. He was entering the second stage quickly.

Some deep sound rumbled in my throat as I looked onto Sakura. She wasn't smiling like she was last time; no, this time she had a loon on her face that could only be described as terror. My eyes dashed to Jūgo again, making sure our eyes met. His eyes lightened. He looked despaired.

"Little Sister!" he yelled to Sakura, running across the room to her. Sakura gave a weary smile.

She looked like a rag doll. Her pink tresses hung limply at her shoulders; her long legs were thrown haphazardly—but comfortably—around her; her vert eyes were wide with surprise; her arms were at her sides, slacking.

Her mouth moved nonetheless. "We're getting closer, Big Bro," she whispered. The fear didn't leave her, and I started to worry that she would pass out.

"Sakura," I monotoned, hiding my worry behind an expressionless face. I walked to her.

"Sakura, you need a nap," Itachi finished for me. I nodded to Sakura's bewildered form. With my help, she stood.

"Nap. Right. Nice nap," the pinkette echoed. I was going to find out what happened. Her shocked gaze drove me mad. The emptier her stare became, the more I worried. I sighed. Her legs were bucking under her weight. She was going to fall, but before that happened, I grabbed her, her legs dangling over my arm. Jūgo and Itachi followed.

"What happened?" the orange headed man asked, more to himself than to anyone else. Itachi shrugged, humming the words, _I don't know_, through closed lips.

I laid the barely conscience girl on the rock bed, gently. "She's got to go home," I heard my brother's voice call out when Sakura fell asleep not two seconds later.

_I know._

"She's not well."

_I know._

"She needs Kohona, and Naruto, and Kakashi, and Tsunade, and everyone else."

_I know._

"You need to take her back."

_I know…_ "I'm not ready to let go," I muttered to myself. Did I just—? No, I didn't just—? I'm Uchiha Sasuke, I couldn't have— I _didn't_—did I? I did. And Itachi and Jūgo heard me. Ugh.

But I wasn't ready. No one could ever be ready. Sakura grew on everyone. She was one of those people who other people thought they couldn't live without. She was a light in the dark. The good in all the bad. The innocent in all the guilt. She was my Sakura. I just got her back; I don't _want_ to give her back! She was my Sakura. I…I…I loved her.

"I know, Sasuke," Itachi told me, frowning as I sat myself next to her on the bed. She had closed her eyes and she was cuddling into herself. Her knees were pulled up to herself. She looked miserable. I could only hope her dreams took a turn for the better.

"Is she going to Kohona? Orochimaru-san will kill us," Jūgo muttered. I could feel his golden eyes on both Sakura and me. I didn't look up from Sakura's fearful expression.

A smirk raised a side of my face. "He's dead."

"What?" the gentle giant whispered. His voice was laced tightly with both worry and bloodlust. He still wasn't off his cursed high.

I nodded. "Nicely done, foolish brother," Itachi chuckled. "Where is she going? It'd be best to not give her a choice. She's too far under, again; she'd chose you, Sasuke."

I scoffed. Sakura—Haruno Sakura—would choose me? Right. I'm sure she hates me; in face, I'm sure its Jūgo she's choose. Even if she was mine, as she had said some years back. According to Japanese law, her will was mine. She knew that when she yelled out to me back then. But…when did I ever follow something as simple and stupid as _laws_. I didn't want to, nor was I, going to make Sakura do something like…everything I wanted her to be. (My wife, my lover, my children's mother.) But Itachi was right, no matter the casualties. She had to go back to Naruto, and Kakahsi, and Tsunade, and the Hūgas, and everyone else no matter how much I wanted her to stay with me.

/Retrieving Team/

"Uchiha," Kakahsi growled, "as in Uchiha Sasuke? Or Uchiha Itachi?" Normally, Sasuke and Naruto were his pride and joy, but now, it was Sakura who had gone missing, and there was a chance Kohona would get it Blossom back; but if Sasuke had her… all was lost. Kakashi knew his daughter better than anyone else did, and he _knew_ Sakura was still head over heels for Sasuke. If that Uchiha had the little Haruno, hell was incoming.

Kakashi growled again.

Sheepishly, Kiba said, "Orochimaru's pet," with a scowl on his face.

"The youthful blossom in the hands of a traitor?" Lee shouted, his bush-brows knitting together to make one big unibrow. Neji's Bakugan flared. Shikamaru sighed, sadly and lazily. The only one seemingly happy about the news was—who else?—Naruto. He was grinning stupidly.

"Cool! So we know she's in good hands!" he shouted happily, jumping into one of the nearby trees. "And we know they're probably near the Sound! Now we only need to find out where, and we will!" Standing up on the branch, his grin doubled size. He ran ahead, despite the fact that he wasn't leader. The other five could hear his voice echoing back to them, "_Believe it!_"

/Hours later; someplace in the forest/

Akamaru sniffed at the greening leaves. Spring was here; bring on leaves a shade so bright they mimicked Sakura's eyes. That made the dog, and everyone else, miss the Blossom more. Summer was darkening every leaf.

Smoking his cigarette, Shikamaru sighed out gray puffs. Smoking didn't give him the pleasure it usually did. In face, it seemed to be adding to his stress. Groaning, he spit out the white stick and smashed it on the matted dirt. Smoking had lost all meaning to him. Sakura wasn't there to tell—yell to—him that it was bad for him; she wasn't there to tempt him. He sighed longingly. He missed his bubbly teammate.

The gigantic dog barked, nodding sadly. He knew what was going on. He could feel it in his very bones, dog or not. He knew if favorite girl was missing. He knew the person who gave him is daily treat was gone. He also knew who took her and how and where to, just by smell. Too bad he couldn't speak.

Kiba's frown grew. His forehead crinkled as he looked to the team's leader. Kakashi sighed, his own eyes sad, before telling the team to follow Akamaru and Kiba.

/Sakura's POV/

Oh, good Lord. My body hurt. Was this what Hell felt like? I mean, I knew I killed people, like, a lot, but I did it for the good. Right? Wasn't protecting people from Orochimaru and the Akatsuki good? It was, wasn't it? I knew killing people was wrong, but I didn't think I'd go to Hell. I thought I'd go to Good People Hell. It existed, right? For those who don good and don't believe in Kami?

And if the Grim Reaper came to get me, why was the ride bumpy? Shouldn't it be smooth and soft, like riding mist? And shouldn't I be cool, like a dead body, rather than sweating like a bull?

I opened my eyes, which seem the only thing I've control of. White cloth met my tired eyes. It rubbed against my cheek. I can tell the cloth is cotton. It had a rough edge to its soft feel. Regaining my body, and its control, I edged myself deeper into it. It felt good.

Maybe I'm on my way to Heaven?

I moaned softly into the cloth. It just feels that good. Whys isn't the rest of my body covered in it? Why is it that I can only see this soft thing? I want to see the way I'm going so if Sasuke should ever join me, I could welcome him. He'd be going to Hell, that I know, but I want to be able to visit him. Kami would allow that, right? Wasn't he a sucker for true love? Sasuke was my true love. _Kami would allow me to visit,_ I decided.

But why did my body hurt?

I rolled my neck back. I could feel the muscles in my neck stretch painfully as I did so. My view changed from white to tan, from cloth to skin. Something black peaked out from the collar. I knew I wasn't dead, suddenly. I was on Sasuke's back. He was giving me a piggyback ride someplace. Where?

Back to Kohona? Wouldn't Orochimaru get angry at his pet for doing so? And Jūgo? Itachi was living in the Mist, but would he come back home?

"Mmm," I said, my voice raw, "Sasuke-kun, where're we going?"

Sasuke staggered. "Back to Sasuke-kun, are we?" I made a sound in the back of my throat, telling him to, and I quote Ino, _build a bridge…and get over it_. "Someplace," he answered.

"_Where_?" I begged.

"A place, Sakura, a place," Sasuke and Itachi (_?_) responded together with a brotherly timing. I giggled breathlessly.

/AN/

Is this one good? Its one of the longest chapters in this story. R&R, please. It would make me happy.

_(I'm going to let you in on a little secret… That blue button right there? Yeah, that's the magic "Make Boriqua-chan Happy" button. Push it for me, because right now, I'm not happy.)_


	9. Chapter 9

_:) enjoy_

**/Chapter 9/**

Three days. That was what today was. Three days since she was missing from Kohona. She needed to be home soon, or she would be a missing ninja. She would be one of us.

Why was this so hard? The sound of her breathless laugh was like a thousand wind chimes flowing melodically through the breeze, like the chimes Mom used to hang. Her small, low snoring—so familiar and cute—made me want to go back, claim my Uchiha fortune, and take her to… the Mist? The Sand? The wasy she heaved on my back made me want to do just that. I could just about imagine her surprise. Uchiha Sakura—I was afraid to admit how _perfect_ that sounded.

I could just see here, a white apron over a silk Uchiha dress with cookies on a pan. We'd both have to give up out ninja status. I could see dozens of little blue haired, green-eyed boys and pink haired, onyx eyed little girls crowding around my golden wife. I could imagine coming home after whatever job it was I found and have my kids running to give me hugs. I could see Sakura smiling when I had three of our children hanging from my back and went to kiss her hello.

Such a pretty fantasy—such a lie. Eventually, even if we had twenty kids running about, Kohona would find us. We would be killed as traitors and out kids left orphaned. I'd rather me die and leave Itachi to raise the Uchiha Clan on his own than have Sakura die with me. She deserved life more than I did. Kami knew that.

The breeze picked up. Sakura's short coral hair whipped around us, going both in front and behind us. The air smelled like dog.

"Keep Sakura here. Hide yourselves, Sasuke," Itachi said warily.

"Wh—"

"Just do it!"

**/Retrieving Team/**

Akamaru howled, as if in pain. If ninja-dogs could cry, he was doing so. The smell was so familiar, so unpin-able, and so unique; it could only belong to one person. A person Akamaru hadn't seen or smelled in four years. It was the smell if the perfect kidnapper. The smell of Uchiha Sasuke.

"What's up, boy?" Kiba asked, jumping to his pet and petting him behind the ears to calm him. The giant canine howled again, this time louder and shriller.

Kakashi stared at the dog. How was it that such a huge animal could make such _squeaky_ sounds? Lee and Shikamaru wondered the same. Neji, on the other hand, studied the dog; its posture; the earsplitting sound. This had either to do with Sakura or Sasuke.

The team blonde jumped to Kiba and the dog. The tree branch jiggled under the new weight. "Akamaru," he whispered intently, "is Sakura near? Is Sasuke?"

Kiba rolled his eyes. Of course, it had something to do with them! He thought blondes were the stupid ones. " 'Mon, Aka, take us to them," coxed Kiba, scratching Akamaru's ears as a plead. Akakmaru whimpered.

"Foolish pup."

Shikamaru gave a smirk to the voice. Third to Kakashi and Naruto; that voice, or rather its owner, protected the missing Blossom. He always said that id he did one good thing in his life, it would be protecting his brother's 'future wife.' "_Troublesome_ pup," Shikamaru corrected.

The leaves rustled under the wind caused by a certain longhaired ninja. The tree limb groaned. "Sakura?" Itachi asked, eyes scanning the forest. Kakashi understood. The team looked like Sasuke's Retrieval Team, minus the pinkette and plus a few ninja. Itachi lived in the Mist; he knew nothing of Kohona's Blossom. "Did she give up on Sasuke? Must I slap that foolish girl?"

The team frowned. "Itachi…" Naruto started off, his voice slow and loud with hesitation, "Sakura's missing." The eldest Uchiha's reaction was off. He would've gone ballistic, normally. He would've had his Sharingan killing his vision and making his eyes bleed. But he just nodded somberly. Naruto tried again, "And we think Sasuke did it." Once more Itachi nodded.

"Foolish lovebirds," the navy haired ninja sighed. "I know where they are."

A smile crinkled Kakashi's eye. Jaws dropped open. "_Where?_" Kakashi begged.

"With an old family member. A foolish one at that," Itachi muttered nonchalantly. His black eyes met the team's, making sure they were paying attention. "Sasuke has her," he confirmed.

"I knew it!" Naruto shouted proudly. He had a silly grin on his face.

Everyone growled. Akamaru's claws grew long and sharp. He knew the youngest Uchiha had his favorite person, but, even as a dog, it hurt to have his worst fears verified. Kakashi's smile dissolved.

"Don't worry," Itachi warned. "He won't hurt her. He loves her."

Kakashi pulled down his mask. There was a frown tightly in place under his puffed eyes. He pointed to it. "This? This means I am not happy. Sasuke is a ruthless murderer, _not_ a lovesick boy. Anything happens to Sakura and I will not waste time when I kill you, just like he won't waste time in murdering her. Sakura's fate is yours. Saying he loves her is different than him actually loving her," Kakashi warned the younger man.

Said man rolled his eyes. "He's taking her home."

"That stupid Uchiha," Neji growled. "He'll do her more harm by coming to Kohona than by keeping her. It's like turning himself in; like slaughtering himself." The Hyūga loathed all Uchiha, Sasuke most of all, but he—dare he think it?—he loved Sakura as if she were his kid sister. (Now, not a year ago; a year ago he did _things_ to her.) He may not approve of her heart's love, but he would support it. He would wish it the best, just to keep his friend out of depression.

Itachi ignored the comment, though it was very true, and continued with, "They're… He's… She's not well. The Sound was getting to her. Sasuke felt it best she return to Kohona. He killed Orochimaru"—Kakashi, with his lifted mask, gave a pointed look as if to say, _I told you so,_ and frowned—"and knocked her out to do so."

"Is the youthful Blossom okay? Is she in health?" Lee shouted from the back to be heard.

"Indeed, the foolish blossom is healthy," Itachi smirked, knowing the use of his favorite word was becoming a stalling method. "She's out of sorts, but she'll be alright. It's naptime for her."

The simultaneous question of _naptime_ came from them, their mouths slanted worriedly.

"Jūgo had a breakdown and Sakura's recovering," Itachi informed. He looked at the anxious Kakashi and giddy Naruto. "Go to Kohona. Tell Lady Tsunade that I found her. Tell her…tell her that I'm taking care of her."

Kakashi looked like he had heard the craziest thing in his thirty-some years of life. He actually _thought_ that a father would leave his daughter in the hands of a man who trusted a killing machine. The retard. "I am not leaving my daughter with your brother."

"She'll be fine."

"Yes, Kakashi! The youthful blossom of youth will be in good hands with the youthful Uchiha!" Lee shouted from the background. He was far too trusting for Kakashi's taste.

"I'm with Kakashi," Neji growled. Shikamaru and Kiba nodded in agreement.

Itachi rolled his dark eyes. "Fine. Kakashi—stay. Happy?"

"Very!" Naruto bawled. He jumped to a tree far behind them. "Now come _on!_ Hinata's waiting!" He went off, not looking back as the team followed—minus one copy-nin.

**/Sasuke POV/**

Somehow, it was easier to trust my brother than to hate him. I would never truly forgive him for killing Mom and Dad, but it helped to know that he at least fought for my life. And I was about to kill him. I trained all my life for nothing. I went to Orochimaru for nothing. I dealt with Karin for nothing. I left Kohona for nothing. I left _Sakura_ for nothing. I cut our ties for nothing. I—

Was she waking up? Her finger curled in and out of the cotton of my gei. Her pink lashes fluttered over my exposed chest skin. She moaned softly, as if she were waking. I sat up on the dry leaves of the dirt ground and lifted her with me; she didn't have to inhale more of that packed dirt than she already had.

She coughed out some of that dirt. "Ugh. Eww. What _was_ that?"

"Forest floor muck," I answered. She made a cut little face that translated into something like, _gross._ I smirked at it.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun, where the hell are you taking me?" Sakura asked.

I couldn't help the ting of pride I felt when she added the suffix. It was like I had finally won her back. I finally had my Sakura back. I had my innocent Sakura back. "A place," I answered, knowing that my reasons had to be kept mine.

She stuck her tongue out at me; I suddenly wanted to know what that pink, wet coil of flesh tasted like. But I controlled myself. "Mean!" she shouted at me. I smirked, nodding.

**/Sakura POV/**

Rustling leaves crunched in a tree. Our heads whipped to the side. Who could that be? I looked around, wondering. Then I noticed Itachi was missing. Maybe it was him, his arms overflowing with cherries—or strawberries—or bananas—or deer—or rabbit! Oh, the possibilities! Cherrie juice, strawberries in sugar, baby bananas, deer in fruit juice, or fried rabbit! Yum! Oh, but what about drinks? I hoped he brought spring water!

It was then that I realized I was more starved for food than worried over the rustling. I realized that those could be Naruto and the rest of the gang, coming to get me and bring me home. I wanted to stay with Sasuke; I didn't want to go home. I didn't want to be that fan-girl he hated, but I rather him hating me than having no feelings for me at all.

I watched as the trees rattled, wanting nothing more than to hide myself. I turned to Sasuke for guidance. He wasn't on his guard, he was smirking at my expression. He thought I was being paranoid—it was all over his face! He could probably feel the charka and—

Wait. So could I.

Expanding my charka-reading skill, I checked who it was. A sigh a relief excaped me when I realized it was just Itachi and Kakashi. More than happy that I didn't have to worry about anything, I scooted to closer to Sasuke's—

Whoa! Kakashi? I'm sorry—what? Why would Itachi bring Kakashi? Was the copy-nin taking me home? Why would Itachi do that to me? Tears welled in my eyes. That eldest Uchiha knew full well I didn't want to go home! And Sasuke didn't look the slightest bit worried.

Two pairs of feet landed soundly on the ground. I glowered at them, feeling my neck well with emotions, both good (for me) and bad (for them). Kakashi, not even one-hundred percent balanced, ran to me, enveloped me in his arms. I squealed unhappily. "Sakura, Sakura!" I tried escaping from the embrace, but it only got tighter. Until he let go, glaring daggers at Sasuke. I ran to his side, ready to protect him while I could. "You," Kakashi spoke with malice intents. Itachi was at his side holding his shoulders in a vice grip. "You took my baby girl!" Baby girl? Say wa'? "You son of a—"

"Kakashi, lay off. I'm taking her home," Sasuke sighed. Tears still stinging at my eyes, and dug my head into the gei top Sasuke had lent me and crept closer to Sasuke's side. The gei Sasuke had given away to me was uncanny in its heat. One day and it still held Sasuke's warmth. I pulled the plus-sized shirt over my ears.

"Kakashi-sensei," I called to him, my voice—surprisingly—not shaking, "Sasuke-ku—Sasuke didn't do anything!"

Kakashi's dark eye softened on me. "Alright," he said, as if I were a small baby, in need of protection and agreement. It was obvious he wasn't going to lay off. When he looked away from me, he eyes were cold, wild, angry.

And then I realized that must be what I looked like, what he saw me as—wild, scared, sad, and upset. My eyes were wide with dirt and wet with tears. My lips were puffed and swollen from laying on Sasuke's shoulder; my cheeks warm from the same. I apprehended I must've scared him into it with my unkempt hair and swollen lips and cheeks. I self-consciously licked my lips.

**/Insert Line Here/**

It was dark. Kakashi had brought precautions—two tents, water, food (thank Kami) and "bathroom needs". I couldn't help the happy squeal I gave when he showed me the sushi rolls and rice balls. I savored every bite and enjoyed ever sip of water. Despite the initial hatred that struck me when I saw him, I couldn't be happier that he was there. Mostly because he had food.

But my happiness was short-lived because Kakashi insisted that I sleep in my own tent. A furious blush crawled up my neck, sloshing to my cheekbones; but I said nothing, not wanting to be that girl that was long-ago squashed under my foot, and remade, reshaped, into the new me, the stronger me.

Of course, that didn't mean I didn't back Sasuke up when he said I wasn't well enough to be alone in my own tent. Or when he _ordered_ it be him that helped me. Itachit backed him up with me. Which was why I was wrapped in my Sasuke's strong arms. My Sasuke, who, as it happened, was sleeping.

I looked up at him, his long eyelashes on his tan skin—surely he was dreaming nothing but sweet things. Alright, maybe not _sweet_, but pleasing. He didn't notice me scooting over and wrapping myself in the gei he was wearing. My Sasuke's gei was on the plastic floor, forgotten because of the forest's damned heat. It felt worse than Kohona's heat. There was only one place hotter than Kohona, that I knew of, and that was Kohona's forest.

Sasuke's words rung in my head: _I'm taking her home._

Home?

Kohona!

Shocked, I kicked at Sasuke; I was too panicked to remember that all I had to do was lift the sheet and get out. I gasped, still kicking was a strength to bruise.

Sasuke woke, grabbed my feet, and stopped my kicking. I whimpered in his hold. He was too asleep to notice he was hurting me. "What the hell, Sakura?" he growled.

"You—you're sending me back!" I accused him. "Sasuke I don't want to go back! I want to stay with you!" My voice slurred and I sounded drunk to my own ears. I could scarcely make out my own words. I started to try to kick him again; Sasuke's hands stopped me.

"Sakura," he said calmly, finnily waking up and letting my legs go, "you have to."

_"No!"_

Losing the small amout of pasionce he had, Sasuke looked at me. Sasuke looked at me. "Look at yourself, Sakura. Your hair's a mess, yours eyes are wild, your teeth are yellow. Sakura, you're not meant to be like me, not meant to be a nuke-nin. You don't belong outside Kohona in its forest; you belong _in _Kohona."

Someone punched my neck. The lump forming inside my esophagus was a bruise. A large, rounded, painful bruise that extended to the four chambers of my very heart, hurting so much my eyes watered. My voice cracked when I said, "Sasuke-kun…"

"I'm sorry."

I swallowed past the bruising lump in my throat. "I don't want to…."

"Forgive me, Sakura," he sighed. He moved his hands; I blacked out.

**/Sasuke POV/**

She wanted to stay with me. Itachi was right. Why the hell didn't I _let_ her? Why the fuck didn't I grab her, steal the food and the tent, and go to Oto—where I now rule thanks to Orochimaru's death? I mean, both of us could've made it with no one knowing. And I knocked her out—a fourth time. I was making my way out of the tent when Kakashi's upset masked face appeared before me. "It's ten solid hours to get back to Kohona. How's Sakura?"

"Out cold." I pushed past him, wanting nothing more than to walk and clear my head.

Kakashi got the message. "Be back in ten minutes, Sasuke," he ordered of me. I snorted. Me? Uchiha Sasuke? Bothering to follow orders? Unheard of!

**/Insert Line Here/**

No matter what I said, I was back in less than ten minutes, with an unconscious pinkette waiting for me. Everything was packed or dissolving into the earth where it belonged. Itachi—I smirked when I saw—was making sure Kakashi didn't pick her up, distracting him with little things that were still in need of being done. A pot there, a glove here, a kunai that way—and so on. I made my way around them, to Sakura. She was sleeping and limp; but when I rested her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist they tightened, as always. I pet her rosey hair and closed my eyes, enjoying it.

Kakashi moved out, calling the order. I growled and followed, like when I was in Team Seven.

**/Insert Line Here/**

The last time I was here, the gate gaurds were so deep in sleep. The strats were black, dead, sleeping. Today, there were guards at the ready. Weapons were visible in there pouches, posin needles were threaded together, hanging from belt-loops; shiudkin were out and ready; kantana sharp enough to brake through bones in one strike. Two ninja were posted at the tops of teh gate, the bottom, the sides. Was Sakura really that important? What secrets did she know?

White cloth in hand, Itachi and Kakashi stepped from the forest's cold shade in the sun's mad glare. At four o'clock, the sun was blazing strong. Itachi nodded at me, and I walked forward, Sakura resting on my back. Her steady breath warmed my neck and firmed my steps. I made my way to the gate.

Dog-breath and Lazy-ass grabbed her from me. I held her tight; i was never going to let go. Not Sakura. "She needs her fucking check-up," the dog growled. She probably should go see the doctor. She would be fine in Kakashi and Tsunade's hands. I nodded and let her go. Kakashi followed Sakura's ANBU team as my brother ushered me through the Saturday Shop-day crowd. The schedule of this village was forever burned into my brain.

At the Hokage Tower, a sober Tsunade met Itachi's soft frown. Both ushered me to the office.

Things too fast for me to understand were said. Politics were _not_ my thing. It was when onyx orbs, identical to my own, widened and began watering that I began to try and comprehend the argument. I caught nothing other than one statement that stopped my heart:

"_He's kidnapped and killed and betrayed Kohona; his punishment is death."_

**/Sakura POV/**

I knew that smell anywhere. Antiseptic, morphine, chakra, and bleach. I sat up before my eyes had even opened. The hospital! And I was in my ninja skirt and medic shirt! Whoa—clothes. Two days without them and the idea was already foreign.

An IV cord was sunk into my skin. I pulled it out, hissing at the pinching sensation. I pulled out another cord from my ankle. I didn't care if I worked here, I sympathized with the people that needed those wires to live.

"Sakura-chan," I heard a whisper. Her—it was a her. Her voice was soft and gentle as the ocean after a storm. I smiled.

"Hinata," I said. I winced at my voice. It was hoarse. "Hi."

"Sakura-chan," she sounded hesitant, resistant, "Sasuke-san's going to be hung." She wasn't stuttering; she always stuttered when she lied. _Why wasn't he stuttering?_ I tried willing my ears to hear her stutters. It didn't work.

I stood off the bed, ignoring how Hinata must've brushed my hair for me, and staired at her. "H-h-hanged?" My words tripped over each other in fear. Violet hair flew over lilac eyes as she nodded. "Wh-where? Tell me where! I need to know where!"

Fear widened those lilac eyes. I was too wrapped up in my own to care. "The Village Square."

That familiar bruise in my neck returned. I rushed to the door with my ninja speed. My hands pushed before me, shoving people out of my way and tripping over stairs. I was panting by the time I made it down to the first floor. Not because I was tired, but because I was tired, but because I was scared. Was I too late? Was Sasuke's head hanging high on a rope? My eyes drowned in saltwater. Those tears whipped behind me as I made my way to the Square.

Sasuke was there, his head propped on a harsh rope. Uritko held the rope that would kill him. He let go.

I rushed to the center stage. "_Sasuke-kun!_"


	10. Chapter 10

**/Author's Note/**

_You are all evil. Too lazy to check my profile without me telling you…grumble, grumble. There's a pole up. I refuse to tell you what it's about, because __you are all evil__. But I will, however, tell you that it is important. So go vote. NOW! Please._

_This is possibly the second to last chapter in this story. ENJOY, EVILS._

_That will be all._

**/Sasuke POV/**

I lived a good life, given my many mistakes. I shouldn't have held a grudge against my own brother. I shouldn't have let that grudge drive me from the people that loved me. I shouldn't have run away to the Snake Lord. I shouldn't have let that snake drag my Sakura into my dark shadow of a life. I shouldn't have let her grow do close to me again; shouldn't have let myself grow closer to her, to love her.

But those same mistakes were my proudest moments. If I didn't hold that grudge, would I feel so relieved to know I was wrong? If I didn't let that grudge hold me back, would it feel so good to rejoin the living? If I didn't run to the snake, would Sakura have gotten so strong? If I didn't let Orochimaru drag Sakura back into my life, would I have spent my last days with her? If I didn't love her so much, would I accept my fate as it was?

The answer to all those questions was no.

With my chin high, I walked to the stage. The citizens were watching, along with the millions of ninja staring at me to see if I would run away. But no. I would face my maker proud and at my full six-ten. If it would pronounce Sakura faithful to Kohona and spare her life, my life was a small price.

Uritko smiled an evil smile at me as the rough rope was pulled around my neck. He held the other end of it, the side that would end my life, triumphantly. "It's almost time, Uchiha," he hissed out. "Your mommy and daddy are waiting; next comes your brother…"

I swallowed the need to blacken his eye.

He let the rope go. My air supply shortened, but didn't cut off. I had no doubt that Uritko would make this as slow and painful as possible.

"Sasuke-kun!"

That was Sakura. My head flipped to her soft, breathless sound. Ninja, strangers in fact, surrounded her. Some part of my brain noticed her brushed hair and clean clothes; that part sent a shot of relief through me, as sharp and intoxicating as liquor.

That sense was quickly shattered by the way kunai were thrown at her to stop her. She pulled them out—blood spewing from the wound for seconds before her self-preservation kicked in and healed her—and limped to me. Or tried to; the stranger ninja jumped her. "No!" I shouted as a ninja threw a kunai from the rooftops behind her, aiming for her spinal cord. Another aimed for her arm. "_No!_" The other aimed for her heart. "_NO!_"

I broke free of the charka-ridden rope. My record for speed was broken as those three kunai jumped off my back. The ninja backed off in fear, leaving Sakura safe from harm in front of me. "Sakura," I sighed. My voice was gravely and harsh.

**/Sakura POV/**

My eyes were lined with tears. I could only make out colors in front of me. There was only one color I was worried about and it was dark blue. I tried calling out to him again, but it came out in breathless whimpers. Ninja I didn't know surrounded me. One shot a kunai at my thigh; I felt the pinch and pulled it out. Blood squirted before I healed it. Other kunai fell to the ground. On a limp, I tried walking to Sasuke.

"No!" he growled. The curse on his neck spun. "_No!_" his black velvet voice repeated. The curse became larger and spread, glowing like the fire it resembled and dimming to black as the flames passed through his body horizontally. The black flame spread, turning his body brown. "_NO!_" he shouted again, braking free of the rope.

Within milliseconds, he stood before me, the rocklike wings of his third stage spread out. Three kunai fell to the dirt with a clank. I stared up at him in awe. Cursed or not, he was the most amazing person in the world. He saved me and in doing so he saved himself. "Sakura," Sasuke breathed. His voice was rough and rocky, like the sound of pebbles crushing together. It was music to my ears.

"Sasuke!" My arms flew around his hard neck. I crushed myself to him, finally able to breathe. "Sasuke!" Sasuke's arm fluttered to my waist, not landing. My nose dug deeper into his neck—working myself higher on my tiptoes. His neck was my safe hideaway. That was where I spent my happiest moments, hidden in his neck. "Sasuke!"

People parted from the way of the Hokage tower. I'd bet anything that it was the Elders, ready and willing to murder Sasuke. In doing so, they would have lost their favorite kunoichi, because I myself would follow him.

But I was wrong. Instead of the other six Elders, ten very pissed ninja stomped their way to us. Curiously, I pulled away from Sasuke and turned him to see them.

Tsunade was shouting. "You just don't know how to take—"

Naruto was shouting. "She said no! Don't you get—"

Ino was shouting. "I am ashamed to be a part of a village whose leaders don't know the meaning of—"

Kakashi was shouting. "Uritko!"

Kiba was shouting. "Akamaru—sic 'em!"

The commotion was overlapping. I only got bits and snippets. Now that Sasuke was safe, sound, and alive, I was feeling giddy. Giddy enough to realize there was something terribly wrong with this picture—other than Sasuke's cursed glory. Ten voices and ten people. Four of those voices, now angry and loud, belonged to the quietest people in Kohona. Hinata, Neji, Itachi, and Shikamaru were _shouting_! What had this world come to? A relieved laugh escaped my lips.

Lee's "youthful" green jumper hopped up and down. TenTen's panda-ear buns were being set loose in her anger.

Too busy watching the world turn upside-down, I didn't notice the murdering Uritko get punched until he landed unconscious by our feet. Sasuke growled and kicked him none-too-gently. I stood closer to Sasuke's side, where I was safe. His red eyes shinned and he pulled me closer.

Angered and fired up, Tsunade shouted to the bystanders, "Is that"—her chin pointed to out feet, where inches away the head Elder lay—"what you want to lead your village? A coward so loose with a hanging rope?" The villagers stood quite, bewildered. "Uritko was going to kill Uchiha Sasuke for _bringing Sakura-chan back_! For returning our kunoichi!" Murmurs ran through the crowd. Tsunade gave us the _come here_ jester. Sasuke pulled me along.

"Haruno Sakura is perfectly fine, is in perfect health. Uchiha took fine care of her," she shouted, her voice strong. "He didn't leave her to die—he brought her back! Uchiha Sasuke is no longer a traitor!" Her face was red, her hazel eyes bright with anger. "And, yet, that unconscious _fool_ wishes to kill him! What kind of leader is that?"

Sasuke pulled me closer.

"I may be Hokage, but their whishes are my commands. And I _don't_ want to kill an ally; but they didn't care!" Tsunade's hand was placed valiantly on Sasuke's shoulder. "Fuck the Elders! Uchiha Sasuke is a Kohona ninja! A Kohona citizen!" I smiled as Naruto hooted. She walked closer, placed a hand over my shoulder, and smiled daringly. "Anyone who has a problem with it can answer to me. Or Naruto; or Sasuke; or, worse still, Sakura!" Tsunade shuffled us off the stage. Itachi was first to greet us, smiling a smirky smile idiotically. I pinched myself. I pinched myself, wincing slightly. I wasn't dreaming—Itachi was actually smiling!

"Foolish brother and your foolish death wish."

Naruto hugged me. "Sakura-chan!" I slapped at his arms, unable to breathe. He loosened his grip. "Sakura-chan, you're okay! Of course I never doubted you would be. But it feels good to have you in my arms!" he shouted. I smiled, letting him get it all out before saying:

"It was only two days, Naruto."

The blonde squeezed the air out of me. "Still!" Then he let go to hug Sasuke. I was passed down from Naruto's arms to Hinata's. I was only faintly aware of who's arms I was in. My eyes were on the super-Sasuke and the blonde that looked so small next to him. It wasn't that I was worried about what Sasuke would do—he wouldn't do anything—but more that he would leave. That the last two says were _nothing_ more than a dream. That he would leave me. I felt my cheeks flame up with worry.

"Dobe," Sasuke greeted. I saw Naruto smile. His smile quickly turned to one of his awkward man-hugs. I smiled. Sasuke's rock-wings began to crumble.

The next pain of arms to have me were Shikamaru's. He put his nose in my hair. "You troublesome woman you made me give my cigarettes up. I should've known you'd come back on your own, with or without Kami's help," he muttered.

Shānnarō—Shika gave up smoking! My eyes were glued to Sasuke and Naruto, who were separated and talking; or, rather, Naruto talking and Sasuke rolling his red eyes. I smiled softly at three of my boys.

Ino was next. "My mission got in the way of my helping the search. It was only when I saw Sasuke being hung and you being attacked, Billboard Brow, that I knew. Just so you know, I just got back!" she complained to me. My smile deepened. "Kami, Forehead, you almost got yourself killed!" I didn't care about that. At least Sasuke didn't die. At least he was alive.

**/Sasuke POV/**

"Dobe," I greeted the blonde, my voice still stony with the curse. His cheeks spread into that never-changing goofy grin of his. Soon he had me, his arms folding awkwardly around the wings of rock I had. I tried shoving him off, only to see Sakura's pale face watching over the Hyūga heir's shoulder, flushed a scarlet to challenge the color of my eyes, her thick lovely lips pulled up into a heart-wrenching smile. I lost the strength to pull away. If it made her happy, this dobe could hug me all he wanted. I felt the wings crumble a bit.

There was something strange about this curse. I could never deel it coming on, never notice what got me mad enough to change, and yet when it was over, I felt all the new parts of my body.

"What happened?" Naruto's voice asked.

"Hn…"

"Why did you get mad? What happened?" he asked again.

"Hn…"

I could tell he noticed the leftover blood of the gash on Sakura's leg when he said, "Oh…" I nodded silently. "Well—I knew you wouldn't let anything happen to her!" I rolled my eyes. "But no one ver listens to the blondie! 'She's in good hands,' I told them; 'she's fine,' I tell them. But _no_! Never listen to Naruto!" My eyes rolled again. Once a baka always a baka. "Years—and anger, no doubt—changed you. But you're still an old softie!" He punched my arm, playful as ever. Naruto stumbled over, not expecting the gravely feel to my arm. I smirked. "And we've changed too! You've seen Sakura-chan! I bet she didn't call you 'Sasuke-kun' once!"

My red orbs rolled. "You're right. Not once. Three or four times, in fact," I muttered.

Naruto interupteed that talking to Yamanaka was giving Sakura with a whine, "Aw, Sakura-chan!" He stomped his foot on the ground stubbornly. Sakura laughed her loving laugh. I smirked and yanked her to me.

Where I got the courage, I'll never know. My mouth was at her ear, nibbling on it. Her pink hair covered my mouth. Her cheeks flushed. "I don't share, Sakura." Her blush deepened.

Tsunade, from places unknown (the tower, perhaps), appeared, grabbing my arm. Sakura smile and the curse shattered, returning me to humanity. "C'mon, Uchiha, you got citizenship papers to resign." Her hand reached to Sakura. "And you—good grace, thank Kami you're alive!" She squeezed the girl to her. "The relief!"

We were pulled to the tower office.

**/Sakura POV/**

Good naturedly, I watched as Sasuke signed the citizenship papers. I was surprised by the soft expression on his beautiful face. He was usually so impatient. He must've been very happy to be home. I'd vet he didn't know how much he missed his home.

The sun was higher in the sky, noon, in fact. The blazing ball of orange felt good only sickly pale skin. Two days of unnoticed starvation had done horrors to my skin. In stead of my pinkish-peach pale, it was grayish-white. Tsunade had made Shizune get me some sushi, so my pink tone was mixing and mingling with the sickly white.

I rolled my kelp-covered fish around my palms before swallowing it whole.

We had a small audience. Everyone had followed us inside, but only two had come inside the office. The rest of had either gone to cuss out the Elders or to the seldom-used waiting room. About half had gone to the cussing spree. Ino, Naruto, Lee and Kiba were in the Elders' office. I could hear them, shouting and cursing. Those four against six old guys were going to reek havoc. A sharp sound echoed in another room, like glass braking. I could imagine a wrinkly person slamming out a window. Neji, Hinata, and Shikamaru were waiting. There was nothing coming from them, other than soft heartbeats and low breathing that I couldn't hear. Kakashi and Itachi had stayed with us. In the background, they were silent shadows.

"And right here," Tsunade said, her fingers pointing to a place on a paper I couldn't see. Sasuke signed it in what was possibly illegible calligraphy. He never had good handwriting. It could've gotten better, though I saw no reason for it to get better. There was no need for Sasuke to use a brush, pen, pencil, or quill with Orochimaru. Unless the bisexual pervert had his top ninja doing deskwork. "All done!"

Tsunade smiled the smile she saved for new villagers and jōnin ninja who'd finished a mission. I guess he was sort of both. "Uchiha Sasuke," she said, formally, as she stood from the chair, toppling over piles of paperwork, which she ignored, "welcome back." Hazel eyes turned to me. I'd been smiling at every signature put and staying quite through it all. I smiled back. "Put me through endless worry, you did!" My smile turned sheepish.

"It wasn't exactly my fault…"

Tsunade grinned. "I know. I blame my ex-teammate. The snake… Speaking of which, isn't he angry with you?" Her eyes widened. "Aw,_ fuck!_ Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

My eyes widened in worry. "What?" Sasuke smirked. Almost as if he knew what had Tsunade cursing like a sailor.

"He's dead," said Sasuke simply.

_Oh._ That would certainly be the only worry. Gossip was slow spreading. Apparently, the Snake Lord had little to do with his many apprentices. Serves him right! The plans on Kohona and the Sand should've had him dead long ago. But the serpent kept slithering away to safer places. And then he had the graying _balls_ to try and _rape_ me! I should've killed him right then! But _no_; Sasuke depleted me. Only to have to save me, I guess. His was the first face I saw when I awoke. His and Kabuto's.

During my two days, I'd been with Jūgo and Sasuke most of the time. _So,_ I wondered, _who killed him?_

Tsunade smiled widly. I'm sure that if Sasuke liked hugs, she would've hugged him. "Who? Why?" she asked, stealing the words right out of my stunned mouth.

Sasuke smirked. I grinned. I knew that smirk; I loved that smirk. I could've hugged him myself. Instead, I wrapped my arms around my body and shivered at Orochimaru's memory. No one needed to know about that, no one other than Sasuke-kun.

"The reason is my own," Sasuke muttered. What was the reason? I'd have to ask him when we were alone. If we ever were alone…

Tsunade nodded somberly. The last time I saw her this sober was when…when…well, never, really. What happened to my drunken sempai? I had a feeling this was a one-time thing.

Something strong wrapped around my waist possessively. I let out a little gasp and the arm pulled away. "I'm—" I put my arm 'round his and pulled it back around my waist.

It was my turn.

I stood up, oblivious to my company, and sat on his lap. It wasn't out of line, right? It was perfectly appropriate. It was totally in line. That was why his lap was so comfortable, why it felt like his lap was made for my body and my body only. That was why I Kakashi gasped. That was why I felt Itachi's smirk and Sasuke's—pleased, I hope—surprise.

Right?

There was nothing to do but move away. I was out of line. It was only after respect that he saved me from Orochimaru; only the fact that he had no goal anymore that he brought me back. They had nothing to do with me.

But before I could get even a millimeter off, I was pulled back on. Kakashi-sensei gasped a bit when Sasuke grabbed my had with both of his. My jade eyes, questioningly, turned to Tsunade, who was looking out the wall-window, trying to mind her own business, but eavesdropping anyway. Two warm lips, so unlike what most people thought of his personality, broke me from Tsunade's curious behavior. A smile broke through my lips when I saw Sasuke kiss my hand.

"Mine," he muttered. I blushed.

So it wasn't respect, or curiosity, or fact that drove both of us to the office today. It was love, to some extent. Or perhaps possessiveness. Either way, I didn't care. We were here, safe and sound, and Sasuke wasn't leaving me—or Naruto and Kakashi—again.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun," I muttered.

A smirk overcame the lips that still showered my hand in kisses. "That was my line from the very beginning," he uttered, and I knew he was thinking of my pathetic pleas and utterly hopelessness that layered my words four years and two years ago.

"And now it's mine. Thank you, Sasuke-kun, for everything," I repeated.

He layered his face with fake annoyance. "Tch…" I grinned. Tsunade turned.

"So… On to political matters," the hazel eyed Hokage said. I groaned and tried—and failed—to squirm into my chair. Apparently, when he said he didn't share and that I was his, he meant he didn't share with anyone or any_thing_ and that I was his and no body, or thing, else's. "The Uchiha manor and village is yours to fill, yours and Itachi's," she sent a meaningful look to the elder Uchiha, "if he wants it. It's been cleaned."

Slowly, as if he wasn't really there, Sasuke nodded. His grip on my waist tightened and his legs under me stiffened at the thought of his family. I understood, to an extent. I would never know what it feels like to have my every loved one slashed out of my young grip by another cherished one. Itachi may had been forgiven but his deed had not been forgotten. "The Elders will give me crap about it, but…whatever. Mean old geezers," Tsunade continued. "That brings us to the villagers. I got them to doubt the Elders they love so much, but they may not be convinced.

"They'll want you under close guard by top ninja. That being said, your 'officers' "—her tone put air quotes on the world—"will be Team Seven. Every now and then, someone else might come." She sounded as if she already had this all planed out. "And _that_ brings us to your renewed citizenship. The villagers won't like it," Tsunade stated simply, as if an obvious and renown fact. "Which means we'll be campaigning. Us against the Elders for the villagers' vote. We'll have to put you _both_"—she glanced at Itachi, me all but forgotten—"in a preferable light. As a living witness of the Uchihas' generosity, you"—her glance turned to me—"will have to speak.

"To appeal to the heartstrings, you two'll have to place your relationship in public," she said to Sasuke and me. Her eyes appraised our posture. Kakashi stifled a laugh. "Damsel in distress and all that."

I rubbed my forehead, "Politics hurt," I protested.

"Tell me about it!" Tsunade growled. She wagged a long, elegant finger at Kakashi. He stood next to us in seconds. "As the father, you'll have to explain how happy you are to have your baby back."

My green eyes felt stuck on Tsunade and Kakashi's faces. Kakashi's rectangle shape under his mask and Tsunade's wrinkleless heart-shaped face. Father? Kakashi? Why the hell did the two words sound exactly right? Still, I had to stutter, "My-my dad's dea-dead…" Sasuke's grip protectively stiffened.

Curious eyes searched Kakashi's facemask, looking for some hint. Finally the owner of the eyes asked, "You didn't tell her?"

One guilty black eye looked from me to the Hokage. "It didn't seem necessary at the time…," he murmured.

They gave me no hint as to what they were talking about. Sasuke did. "That was why he worried…" grumbled Sasuke.

That was all he said, and he made it click together. My biological parents were dead. But the rent stayed pained and my fridge strangely full. Every time I went shopping, I found out it wasn't needed. When I pained red, they gave me my money back. I always thought it was generosity that kept my paycheck in my hands, but it wasn't. Kakashi, whose living room I woke up in the day after Mom and Dad died, had adopted me. It was Kakashi's will that I hadn't been put in an orphanage.

My voice was small and high pitched when I said, "Oh…" Tsunade nodded, unconcerned. Kakashi, my…father, flashed me a guilty smile that was shown in the crinkle of his eye. He stood closer to me now.

"Anyhoo," Tsunade started again, "Kakashi'll have to thank Sasuke publicly."

"Can do," the silver-haired copy-nin said.

The Hokage nodded. "Furthermore," her uncharacteristically steady voice continued, "the Sand is currently without government. When that gets out, it'll ve an all-out civil war. Are you claiming it?"

Sasuke's voice was strong and sure. He shifted me from one knee to another. The movement was so slight it was barely noticeable. "Who is on the list for Hokage?"

Confused, Tsunade answered, "Naruto, Sakura, Shikamaru, and Neji."

I flinched at Neji's name, now more than ever wishing I hadn't given myself to him. Maybe it _was_ a Christmas party and maybe we _were_ drunk, but I should've had the strength to not have fallen under control of my hormones. Neji wasn't good with alcohol.

"I'll give it up under one condition," he stated. I stole a peek at him. The planes of his face were at a perfect tanned edge; he meant business. "Naruto's the next Hokage."

I hated him so, _so_ much. Every time I thought my love for him couldn't get any bigger of more pathetic, he went and did something like this. Something so compassionate and caring that it made the last four years seem like nothing but a bad nightmare. Went and fulfilled someone's dreams indirectly. Went and reminded me why I loved him so much. When and made me fall for him over and over again, tenfold.

"Sure. My pleasure. The baka's going to love you."

I smiled at Sasuke. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw me. He smirked his heart-melting smirk at me. I felt myself turn to putty in his arms.

"Dismissed," the Hokage said, her tone official. "Go away. I need my sake." She turned her chin to the door. "Shizune!" The atmosphere calmed and she sounded more like herself. "Politics are horrible things." Couldn't say I didn't agree. I stood off Sasuke's lap. I could not be happier to stretch my legs. Sasuke and Itachi, silent in the background, followed my lead. Kakashi had already speeded out the door.

The three ninja stood soon as we stepped out the door. Quiet, they waited for a verdict. Itachi gave it as Sasuke pulled me around the corner. "We're going away," his velvet tone said, "out of the public eye." Sasuke's forehead rested on mine. "I'm going to be selfish. No one gets to see, smell or talk to you today, other than me and Team Seven." His dark bangs fell to my face. His tanned lips touched mine. For a second, his lips were on mine, twisting, exploring, and he pulled away. I worried. Had I done something wrong? Then his lips crushed on mine, a force as inescapable as his chidori. My lips moved with his, needy. Sasuke's lips were so warm, so tasty. Like cinnamon, or vanilla, or chocolate—there was no way to describe his taste. Like his smell, it couldn't be pinned. Musky and sweet and sour, and just…_him_.

He pulled away for breath. From the breath he breathed in, he sighed, "I love you."

I blinked. Could I have heard right? Love? Sill shocked, I answered, "I love you, Sasuke-kun." I had no doubt in my mind that I would've given him the three words he wanted, whether I was dead or alive. Could he mean it? Could he love me?

I let myself believe it, for my own happiness.

Sasuke closed his eyes and smirked. "I've had you in my sight for three days and I'm still not tired of your face. What do you have to say for yourself?"

One of my eyebrows lifted and the other pushed down as I frowned. What kind of question was that? "I'm never tiered of yours," I told him.

He chuckled; it was a low, throaty sound. "You're Sakura. You're not supposed to," he muttered. I smiled. I was Sakura, the girl who was unconditionally and completely in love with Uchiha Sasuke; I _wasn't_ supposed to get tiered of his face. And I didn't. "Itachi's staying at the manor tonight," Sasuke told me. "There's no way in hell I'm letting you leave me today, or any other day, for that matter. Kakashi'll want to babysit. Naruto's going to bother the shit out of us with retarded questions. It'll be Team Seven, reunited."

"Team Seven," I agreed.

**/Author's Note/**

_Vote. Vote. Vote now._

_Reviews are like bras to me. Close to my heart and there to support my, in this case, writing. Give me a bra._

_Happy Thanksgiving!_


	11. Chapter 11

**/Author's Note/**

**The last chapter is short so…yeah… In other news—this is, in fact, the last chapter. **_**I want her**_** is done. :) Smiles!**

**/Sasuke POV/**

The sun blazed high in the sky, generating the commotion going on as Sakura, Hinata, Kakashi, Naruto, Itachi, and I walked on. Ichiraku's was right up the block. Weightless glares were sent my way. Sakura's pale hand tightened around mine. She sent venomous glowers back at them, coming closer to me. So cute—_she_ was trying to protect _me_. Over an hour, the world had turned upside-down, inside-out, and sideways. She was protecting me while I was just glad to be able to live another minute with her in my arms.

Naruto, too excited to walk on his feet, was upturned on his hands. His shirt fell over his head. He walked ahead of us, though hindered by his palms. "Tsunade's _pissed_!" he shouted. "She's gonna get the village pissed too! I wouldn't be surprised if the Uchihas ended up with the Elders' lifetime salary because of what they did!"

The Hyūga played with her fingers. "Naru-Naruto-kun, they-they're still in-in off-office. Don-don't talk like that."

Naruto turned the corner, followed by us a few seconds later. "Don't you worry, Hinata-chan! Tsunade-baa-chan'll just bail me out of jail if they put me in it!"

Sakura sighed, resting her free arm over Hinata's shoulders. "Naruto, she's right. I don't think she or the baby needs any added stress." Hn… Baby; the dobe was having kids before I was… Isn't that _wonderful_…

"Sakura-chan has a point," Kakashi hummed.

I stood quite, staring at my Sakura's spring-green eyes. Those green orbs looked, somehow, belonging. Surrounded by all the green, she was…somewhat even more amazing. She looked the centerpiece on a Christmas dinner table—compared to her, everything looked shabby, but she tied it all together.

Sakura grinned. "As she always does," she muttered, then turned to Itachi, three steps behind us. "And you, mister! Those eyes of yours! I need fix them before they die out again. Really, Itachi-nii-san—"

"Did you just call me nii-san?" Itachi asked. Something about his voice reminded me of his smirk, as if there was a smirk in his voice.

I saw Sakura blush. "Well…" she hesitated. "No…" After a pause, she muttered under her breath, "Maybe…"

"Hai," my brother whispered. I smirked.

Sakura growled. "Anyhoo…back to the subject at hand. You need to stop using that kekkei-genkai of yours. Don't be a bad example for my Sasuke-kun."

_Her Sasuke-kun…_ I'd bet she had no idea how good those two words made me feel. To be hers again was a feeling like no other.

"He's still doing that?" Naruto shouted from up front.

"Hai."

"Dead eyes!" the blonde sang. Sakura smiled.

**/Uchiha Complex; Sakura's POV; later/**

I waited until the lights were out in the guests' rooms and we were alone before asking the question that ate away at my brain cells. "Sasuke," I asked, staring at my image in the mirror. My cheeks were a bit hollowed, wider, but that could be later fixed.

"Hn?" Sasuke-kun called out from the bed he lay on.

"I've been wondering… What's going to happen to Jūgo? And Karin and that shark-toothed man? And the rest of them?"

Sasuke was quite for a long while. I pulled the brush from my hair and watched his expression in the mirror. He was composing his answer. His perfect brows creased. "I imagine they'll be fine for a few months. Then they'll start to wonder. Jūgo knows the way, so I imagine he, Karin, and Suigetsu will come. And by then, I'd have signed over Oto. Everyone else will probably go to jail."

That made sense. "Oh…" I put down the brush and climbed over to the bed. Huddled in his chest, I drifted to sleep, after telling him that I loved him.

In my dream, life was perfect. Everything was over. The politics, the complexity. It was just me and him, afloat Cloud Nine.

However, that would come in due time. For now, he had to survive the card dealt to us. We had to endure the chaos to come. But that was a story for another time…

**/the end/**

_**A/N**_

**This was dedicated to:**

_**Neko the kawatta cat**_** for being my 50****th**** reviewer**

_**Raven Serpentine**_** for being my **_**first**_** reviewer (love you forever, just for that; member that.)**

**And my awesomest cousin:**

**Kianga_ (she's helped me a lot during this story. Always asked when a new chapter was up. When I went over, she helped me. In fact, you can thank her for the idea of Kakashi being Sakura's stepfather and the idea of Chapter 8. The writing's mine though. Give her a _Whoop, whoop!_ everybody. She's my sister in the heart. Give her story a shot. She won't take my orders when I tell her to continue it, but maybe she'll listen to you. Kianga's her FF name. Look her up. Or, in the words of George Lopez: __Look. It. Up.__)_**


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